Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 13th Day of the Month of February

Commemoration of Our Venerable Father Martinian

At Vespers

At “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone II, Special Melody: “When from the Tree…”

Come ye, and with hymns let us crown the athlete of Christ, the Lamb of the Orthodox, as with lilies of the field and the full-grown blossoms of the paradise of God; for he hath been manifestly revealed to the world as the beauty of purity, the sacrifice of faith, the glory of abstinence. Wherefore, he hath received the immutable crown of the kingdom.

Having the fire of the divine Spirit within thy heart, O Martinian blessed of God, thou wast found to have burned up the image of the impure woman and wounded the adversary with his own sword, without sustaining injury thyself, truly putting the most vile one to shame and making him an object of derision.

Thou didst kindle a material fire against the attacks of the enemy, O all-blessed one, having acquired the constant remembrance of the everlasting fire; and thou didst cause the burning of the pleasures to wither utterly away. Setting thy feet upon a rock, O venerable one, thou didst build a hut for thyself thereon; and wandering about many lands, thou didst receive a crown for thine endurance.

Glory…, in Tone II

Rejoice, O honored and most wondrous boast of Palestine, for thou hast shone forth upon us like an all-radiant sun! Burning up all the power of the enemy, thou didst consume thy members with fire, O blessed one; for in the mountains and the wastelands, and among the islands, he brought every temptation to bear upon thee. In the desert, he set a woman before thee; and even on a rock in the midst of the sea, the tempter assayed to test thee, O wise one. O thrice-blessed Martinian, cease thou never to entreat Christ without fail in behalf of us who keep thy memory with faith.

Now and ever…: Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion, Special Melody: “When from the Tree…”

O pure one, when thou didst behold the mature Vine, Whom thou didst bear in thy womb without being cultivated by man, suspended upon the Tree, thou didst exclaim, lamenting: “O my Child and Benefactor, as Thou art compassionate, with Thy divine consolations pour forth the sweetness which taketh away the drunkenness of the passions, for the sake of me who gave Thee birth!”

At the Aposticha: Glory…, in Tone VI, automelon

Arrayed in the vesture of purity and illumined with divine prayer, and having Christ, Who was born of the Virgin, dwelling within thee, thou wast not captivated by the woman’s beauty, nor didst thou consent to carnal pleasures; but thou didst enter with zeal into the fire, thy fellow-slave, having the divine fire within thy heart, and with a material and transitory fire didst consume the fire of the passions and quench the flame of Gehenna. Wherefore, pray thou, O blessed Martinian, that we also be delivered from all-devouring and everlasting fire.

Now and ever…: Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion, Special Melody: “On the third day…”

The pure Virgin, Thy Mother, beholding the most iniquitous people who unjustly nailed thee to the Tree, was wounded within, as Symeon foretold.

Troparion, in Tone VIII

With the torrents of thy tears thou didst quench the flame of temptations, O blessed one, and taming the billows of the sea and the raging of wild beasts, thou didst cry out: Most glorious art Thou, O Almighty, Who savest me from fire and tempest!

At Matins

The canon, in Tone II

Ode I

Irmos: Overwhelming power once laid low the whole army of Pharaoh in the deep, and the incarnate Word hath destroyed pernicious sin. All-glorious is the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified.

Come ye, and together let us faithfully praise today with mystic hymns Martinian, the faster who fasted well and lawfully; for which cause he hath received from Christ a crown of victory.

Kept unwavering by the fear of Christ, O father, like lightning thou didst dispel the terror of the foe; for thou wast fearful to them in thine endurance of abstinence, and didst remain unshaken by their illusions, O all-praised one.

By the saving power of Christ didst thou pass easily through the demonic temptation inflicted upon thee in the visitation of the woman, O father; and, saving her, thou didst wound the author of evil through her.

Theotokion: Having conceived the Son of God in thy womb by the Holy Spirit and become pregnant without the aid of man, O pure one, thou alone amongst women wast both Virgin and Mother; and with the blessing of the Father thou gavest birth unto Him without seed.

Ode III

Irmos: Establishing me upon the rock of faith, Thou hast enlarged my mouth against mine enemies, for my spirit doth exult when I chant: There is none holy as our God, and none righteous save Thee, O Lord!

By abstinence from flesh thou didst wash away the wickedness of abomination like mire, and by purity of mind didst discover the paths of the righteous, avoiding the smooth ways of sin, O venerable and wise one.

Enlivening thy heart and setting it afire with the fear and love of the Lord, thou didst consume thy flesh willingly with material fire, O wise one, thereby illustrating for us the unquenchable fire of Gehenna, O venerable one.

Wounding thy body with all-devouring fire, thou didst show thyself to be conqueror and victor, wounding the adversary by thy patience, washing away the defilement of evil thoughts, cleansing thyself in spirit and keeping thy flesh virginal.

Theotokion: Thy conceiving kneweth no participation of man, and thy divine birthgiving was ineffable; for God was born of thee in manner transcending nature. O thy birthgiving! O thy purity! For through thee hath God appeared to me in the guise of a servant.

Sessional hymn, in Tone IV, Special Melody: “Go thou quickly before…”

By his great zeal Thy venerable one, O Lord Christ our God, showed forth struggles in his asceticism; for, possessed of Thy might, he overcame the demons and by his word cut down their feeble audacity. Wherefore, we entreat Thee: save Thou our souls.

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

O most immaculate Virgin who gavest birth to the transcendent God: with the incorporeal ones unceasingly entreat Him, that, before the end, He grant remission of transgression and correction of life to us who with faith and love hymn thee as is meet, O thou who alone art most lauded.

Stavrotheotokion, in the same tone and melody

O all-immaculate Virgin, Mother of Christ God, a sword passed through thine all-holy soul when thou didst behold thy Son and God crucified of His own will. Cease not to entreat Him, O blessed one, that He grant us forgiveness of transgressions.

Ode IV

Irmos: Thou didst come forth from the Virgin, neither a mediator nor an angel, but Thyself incarnate, O Lord, and hast saved me, the whole man; wherefore, I cry to thee: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

The tool of the tyrant of falsehood was mortified, receiving defeat; for he expected to vanquish thee through her, but was instead cast down by her and trampled mightily and valiantly underfoot.

With the valiant character of the Lord thou didst endure and didst make straight His ways; and thou didst make thine abode on the rock of a little island, lying exposed to the elements, as one who ascended to heaven.

Thou didst apply thy valiant and beautiful feet to the race, passing from land to land, O all-praised one; for thou didst flee the city of the passions and attain unto dispassion.

Theotokion: Thou didst remain a Virgin even after giving birth, O all-hymned one; for the unoriginate God manifested Himself, passing through thee. And, as He became man, we salute the image of His likeness.

Ode V

Irmos: O Lord, Bestower of light and Creator of the ages: guide us in the light of Thy commandments, for we know none other God than Thee.

Thou didst find the portal of virtue, O venerable one, setting at nought the wiles of the enemy; and thou hast shown thyself to be an intercessor for my life and a guide for my soul, which hath been cruelly engulfed by the tempest.

Receiving potency for thy prayers as a gift from God, thou didst most gloriously accomplish all things, O wise one; and thou savest our souls from the depths and deliverest them from the storm of the passions.

Theotokion: Thou wast a perfect man, in one Hypostasis, but in two natures, O Lord and Word; and when Thou becamest incarnate neither Thine image nor Thy form suffered.

Ode VI

Irmos: From the belly of the sea monster, Jonah cried out: Lead me up from the abyss of hell, I pray, that with a spirit of truth and in a voice of praise I may sacrifice to Thee, as to my Deliverer!

Shielded by hope, and having strengthened thy soul with the power of God, O all-praised one, thou wast not afraid to traverse the impassable deep; indeed, thou wast saved, upborne by dolphins.

Thy life truly astonished the angels, put the demons to shame, and enlightened men. And thou didst even save the woman and draw her to the path of asceticism.

As is meet, thy passage was truly a likeness of thy labors and honorable struggles, O wise one; and thou didst win the victory of chastity over the enemy, slaying the serpent with thine abstinence.

Theotokion: Truly the laws of nature did not apply to thee, O pure Virgin; for, giving birth to the Word, God and man, Who is equally enthroned with the Father and the divine Spirit, thou art still Virgin.

Kontakion, in Tone II, Special Melody: “The steadfast…”

As a skilled ascetic of piety, an honored athlete by volition, and an inhabitant and citizen of the desert, we praise the ever-honorable Martinian in hymns, as is meet; for he trampled the serpent underfoot.

Ikos: From one end of the earth to the other hath the report of thy beautiful virtues and divine struggles passed. While a child in stature, thou didst desire to dwell in the wilderness, ever sending up hymns, psalms and prayers unto Christ; and growing day and night in pangs and tears, thou didst finish thy life in purity and didst put the author of evil to shame, O wise one, for thou didst trample the serpent underfoot.

Ode VII

Irmos: When the golden image was worshipped on the plain of Dura, Thy three youths spurned the ungodly command, and, cast into the midst of the fire, bedewed, they sang: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Cease thy material life, become a monastic, flee zealously, go about all the cities and lands, as is meet; for Martinian teacheth to chant without grief: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

In thy constant movement thou wast an image of the travelling of Paul, driven by love; and thou didst attain it by the course of thine abstinence; wherefore, as a stranger to the world thou didst make thyself known to the King of heaven, O all-praised one, and wast glorified by faith.

Finishing the course of his asceticism, as a disciple of Christ, and knowing beforehand, through the divine Spirit, the hour of his departure from the body, he chanted with unwavering soul: Into Thy hands, O Master, do I now commit my spirit and soul!

Theotokion: Bestowing living water, Christ poured it forth from His wellspring; and, remaining unconfused, He made His abode in thy holy womb, O all-glorious one, giving all to drink of incorruption who cry out with faith: Blessed art thou who hast given birth to God in the flesh!

Ode VIII

Irmos: God, Who descended into the fiery furnace for the Hebrew children and transformed the flame into dew, hymn ye as Lord, O ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Having sensibly shed the garments of carnal weakness and put on the vesture and understanding of manliness, the woman cried out, fasting: Thee do I exalt supremely, O Jesus, for all ages!

Established firmly upon the rock of Christ, and having armed herself mightily with fasting and faith, the maiden rejoiced with true zeal and cried out in hymns: Thee do I exalt supremely, O Jesus, forever!

Having transcended corruptible things, and received a share of the incorruption of the Most High, and finished the divine race, O God-bearer, thou didst cry aloud, receiving thy crown: Thee do I exalt supremely, O Jesus, forever!

Theotokion: Descended from heaven in Thy loving-kindness and born of the Virgin, O Compassionate God of all, save those who chant: Hymn the Lord all ye works, and exalt Him supremely forever!

Ode IX

Irmos: What is this great and all-glorious mystery within thee, O daughter of Adam and Mother of the Most High? With unceasing hymnody we, the faithful, magnify thee, the Theotokos, as the only bridge to God for the faithful, which we cross dryshod.

Having transcended the laws of fasting, O father, thou didst shine forth in all manner of abstinence, keeping vigil in prayer, and by fasting, purity and reverence. Wherefore, Christ, Who crowned thee, declareth thee victorious at the end of thy contest.

Shown to be worthy of God, thou didst struggle well; for, having cast off every burden, thou didst easily sail across the great and treacherous deep of life, O wise father, and didst arrive at the calm haven, having completed thy course.

Theotokion: Thou alone, O Ever-virgin Theotokos, art truly the guide of Christians and the intercessor for sinners; for from thee hath deliverance shone forth in piety. And therewith do we finish our hymnody in faith, as is meet.

Exapostilarion, Special Melody: “The heaven with stars…”

Desiring an angelic life, thou didst withdraw to the deserts; and having subdued the passions of the flesh, thou didst show thyself to be equal to the angels, O God-bearing Martinian.

Theotokion, in the same melody

Thou art shown to be the mountain which the divine Habbakuk foresaw of old as overshadowed and densely wooded, and which David called a mountain of butter and curds.