Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 19th Day of the Month of February

Commemoration of the Holy Apostle Archippus

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone VIII, Special Melody: “Thy martyrs, O Lord…”

With the light of his discourse, Archippus illumined the people and delivered them from the darkness of unbelief; and having suffered and trampled down the enemy, he made haste to the never-waning Radiance and rejoiceth now with the angels. Through his prayers, O Master, bestow great mercy upon all.

Dragged along, pierced through, and beset by all manner of other cruel tortures, O blessed one, thou didst not deny Christ, nor didst thou render worship to graven images. Wherefore, thou didst receive a crown, and prayest that great mercy be granted to all.

With the divine streams of thy blood thou didst sanctify the earth, O divinely wise martyr; by thy wounds thou didst wound a multitude of evil demons, and, ever pouring forth healings, thou healest the most grievous of sufferings. Wherefore, in thy supplications, O blessed one, ask that all may receive great mercy.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

O Mistress, rescue me from the hands of the serpent who slayeth mankind, and who in his wickedness desireth to devour me utterly. Crush his jaws, I pray thee, and destroy his snares; that, delivered from his talons, I may magnify thine aid.

Stavrotheotokion

“I cannot bear to see Thee, my Child, Who givest courage unto all, asleep upon the Tree, that Thou mayest give divine and saving courage unto those who have fallen into the sleep of sin by eating of the fruit of transgression long ago,” said the Virgin, weeping, whom we magnify.

Troparion, in Tone III

O holy Apostle Archippus, entreat the merciful God, that He grant to our souls remission of transgressions.

At Matins

Canon, the acrostic whereof is: “I hymn the wise and divinely eloquent Archippus”, the composition of Joseph, in Tone IV

Ode I

Irmos: Having traversed the depths of the Red Sea with dryshod feet, Israel of old vanquished the might of Amalek in the wilderness by Moses’ arms stretched out in the form of the Cross.

Shining with the radiance of grace, the all-wise Paul emitted thee like a beam of light, O blessed Archippus, dispelling the deepest darkness of polytheism by the Spirit.

Thou wast made captive by the divine net of the words of the preacher Paul, and didst most gloriously drag men forth from the abyss of the malice of the enemy, and didst offer them at the banquet of God as noetical food.

Clad in the raiment of divine grace, O glorious Archippus, in the vesture of incorruption and the divine garment of salvation thou didst clothe those stripped bare of the glory of God.

Theotokion: Descrying from afar, with the eyes of prophecy, the dread mystery of thy divine birthgiving which passeth understanding, O most pure one, the divinely eloquent ones described it using divers images.

Ode III

Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation!

The divine Paul beareth witness to thee as a faithful servant of Christ, a sacred preacher and his fellow warrior, O blessed Archippus.

Enkindled noetically by the fire of the Comforter, thou didst burn up the bitter tinder of the madness of idolatry, O most lauded Archippus.

With lightning-flashes of the virtues thou didst illumine thy radiant life, O Archippus, enlightening those who piously honor thee.

Theotokion: O most pure one, thou wast most clearly shown to be a temple containing God, a pure habitation and a divine dwelling-place.

Sessional hymn, in Tone I, Special Melody: “The choir of angels…”

As a disciple of Paul, thou didst enlighten the people, O God-bearer, teaching them to chant unto the Trinity; thou didst destroy the pernicious temples by grace; and having suffered patiently, thou didst receive crowns, rejoicing. O blessed Archippus, pray thou in our behalf.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

O pure Virgin Theotokos who knewest not wedlock, who alone art the intercessor and protection of the faithful: from tribulations, sorrows and evil circumstances deliver those who place their trust in thee, O Maiden; and save our souls by thy divine prayers.

Stavrotheotokion

Beholding Thee stretched out, dead, upon the Cross, O Christ, Thine all-immaculate Mother cried out: “O my Son, Who with the Father and the Spirit art equally without beginning, what is this, Thine ineffable providence, whereby Thou hast saved the creation of Thine all-pure hands, O Compassionate One?”

Ode IV

Irmos: Beholding Thee lifted up upon the Cross, O Sun of righteousness, the Church stood rooted in place, crying out as is meet: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

To scourgings, wounds and multifarious tortures did the iniquitous tyrant subject thee, who proclaimest things divine and dost manifestly denounce the ungodly, O Archippus.

Having passed through life well, O blessed one, thou wast counted worthy to attain a truly blessed end; for, having most valiantly endured bodily pain, thou wast martyred for Christ.

To the gross putridity of ungodliness didst thou put an end by the sweet salt of thy words, O fullness of the pious; and, rejoicing, thou didst cry out: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Theotokion: Habbakuk foresaw thee of old, O most immaculate Maiden, as the mountain overshadowed, bearing the Word Who shieldeth all from the flame of transgression and the burning heat of sin.

Ode V

Irmos: Thou hast come, O my Lord, as a light into the world: a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance those who hymn Thee with faith.

With the divine lightning-flashes of thy most wise preaching thou hast enlightened those held fast by the night of unbelief, O divinely wise and most blessed one.

The divine river which proceeded from thy heart hath drowned the torrents of falsehood and given drink to the minds of the faithful, O all-blessed one.

Enlivened by goodly hope, thou didst endure the ripping away of thy four limbs, sanctifying the earth by thy blood, O thou who pleased God.

Theotokion: The Lord chose thee alone out of all generations, O Theotokos, and became incarnate of thee, deifying mankind.

Ode VI

Irmos: I will sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, O Lord, the Church crieth unto Thee, cleansed of the blood of demons by the blood which, for mercy’s sake, flowed from Thy side.

Mercilessly the false one lacerated thee with stripes, O divinely wise one, yet thou wast in no wise weakened by his deceptions, but looked to the glory which Christ bestoweth upon thee, glorifying thee.

Legions of the invisible foe didst thou wound with the wounds of thy flesh, O blessed Archippus; and denouncing the heart of the tyrant, thou didst rend it asunder with lacerations.

They who worshipped stones with hardened heart stoned thee, O blessed martyr, who confessed the Rock of life which crusheth the foundation of deception.

Theotokion: Having put off mortality, in paradise Adam was clothed in life, O Virgin, having attained immortality through thy life-bearing birthgiving, O most holy Bride of God.

Kontakion, in Tone IV, Special Melody: “Thou hast appeared today…”

Possessing thee as a great star, O Archippus, and illumined by the rays of thy miracles, the Church crieth out to thee: Save those who honor thy memory with faith!

Ode VII

Irmos: The children of Abraham in the Persian furnace, afire with love of piety more than with the flame, cried out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Attested by thy divinely wise words of God and thy true understanding, O most blessed one, with the grace of wisdom thou didst drive the darkness of ignorance from the souls of those who submitted to thine honored discourse.

Evil people buried thee in the deepest of pits and mercilessly slew thee by stoning, O martyr, who cried: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

The earth revealeth thy buried body, O martyr, pouring forth waters of healings upon the faithful; and heaven enrolleth thy spirit among the souls of the martyrs, O blessed Archippus.

Theotokion: The Lord Who clotheth the earth with darkness and heaven with clouds, O Maiden, is of His own will clothed in mortal flesh through thy blood, clothing man in the vesture of immortal glory.

Ode VIII

Irmos: Stretching forth his hands, Daniel shut the lions’ mouths in the pit; and the young lovers of piety, girded about with virtue, quenched the power of the fire, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Lauding thee with sacred praises, O holy Archippus, Paul wrote of thee as his fellow warrior, the doer of godly deeds, who ministered to him and chanted with faith: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

With divine words was the right wondrous Apphia, who loved thee as a true son, anointed for the contest, O all-wise; and with her thou dwellest in the kingdom on high, crying: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

To the mockery of children did they who were infantile of mind give thee over, O Archippus, who suffered most patiently, mercilessly pierced by them; and thou didst cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Theotokion: Adam became mortal through eating alone, death coming upon him through the tree of knowledge, O pure one; but given life because of thee, he hath again found his food in paradise, chanting: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Ode IX

Irmos: Christ, the Chief Cornerstone uncut by human hands, Who united the two disparate natures, was cut from thee, the unquarried mountain, O Virgin. Wherefore, in gladness we magnify thee, O Theotokos.

That thou mightest inherit everlasting glory, O martyr, thou didst disdain earthly glory which endureth not and is fleeting; and thou didst cleave unto Christ, adorned with His glory.

Thy head was crowned with a wreath of victory and thou wast clothed in a robe of purple dyed in thy blood, O divinely wise Archippus; and, rejoicing, thou dost reign with Christ, O all-blessed one.

As the disciple of the wise and divinely eloquent Paul, preëminent among the apostles, thou rejoicest with him and art heir to everlasting delight, O most blessed one, adornment of the Colossians.

The people have assembled on the splendid day of thy commemoration, to hymn the beneficent Savior and the pangs which thou didst valiantly endure in martyrdom, O Archippus, casting down the most nefarious one.

Theotokion: Bearing Christ in thine arms, Who holdeth all in His palm, O all-pure one, entreat Him as thy Son, that He deliver me from the hands of the enemy, and embrace and save me in the abyss of His loving-kindness.