Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 23rd Day of the Month of February

The Commemoration Of The Holy Hieromartyr Polycarp, Bishop Of Smyrna

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…,” these stichera in Tone I, Special Melody: “Joy of the ranks of heaven….”

While living on earth thou wast united with the incorporeal ones, and with them dost thou unceasingly worship the Trinity, O divinely blessed father. Wherefore, ever dwelling in the highest as a heavenly man, thou dost initiate those who are on earth into the mysteries of God.

O divinely blessed one, thou wast shown to be a branch of the activity of Christ planted by God, putting forth grapes of the divine Word, whence we faithfully draw forth precious sweetness; and with our whole heart we offer thy teaching to all the world.

Illumined with splendor divine, thy body consumed by material fire, thou didst pass over to the immaterial radiance, O father. Grant us remission by thy prayers, bringing light to the gloomy night of the passions of our souls, O wise one.

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

Tempest-tossed on the deep of transgressions, fleeing to the calm haven of thine all-pure supplication, I cry out to thee, O Theotokos: Save me, O all-immaculate one, extending thy mighty right hand unto thy servant!

Or this Stavrotheotokion, in the same melody

When she beheld the Lamb lifted up upon the Tree, the immaculate Virgin cried out, weeping: “O my sweet Child, what is this new and most strange sight? How art Thou, Who holdest all things in the palm of Thy hand, nailed in the flesh to the Tree?”

Troparion, in Tone IV

As thou didst share in the ways of the apostles, and didst occupy their throne, thou didst find thine activity to be a passage to divine vision, O divinely inspired one. Wherefore, ordering the word of truth, thou didst suffer for the Faith even unto the shedding of thy blood. O hieromartyr Polycarp, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.

At Matins

The canon to the hieromartyr, the acrostic whereof is: “I praise the divine Polycarp in hymns”, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone II

Ode I

Irmos: Come, ye people, let us chant a hymn to Christ God, Who divided the sea and guided the people whom He had led forth from the bondage of Egypt, for He hath been glorified.

Radiant with the effulgence of Christ and filled with His enlightenment, O divinely wise father, illumine my darkened soul by thy prayers.

The enlightenment of the preaching of salvation shone forth with rays upon all, illumining thy pure heart like a flawless mirror, O father.

Thou wast an inscription of the new Law, O father, written not with ink, but by the Spirit of God, containing the divine Gospel of grace.

Theotokion: Knowing God Who was incarnate of thee without carnal desire, and Who was before creation and all time, we truly confess thee to be the Theotokos.

Ode III

Irmos: Establish us in thee, O Lord Who hast slain sin by the Tree, and plant the fear of Thee in the hearts of us who hymn Thee.

Thou wast a fruitful olive tree, as the Psalm doth say, O divinely revealed Polycarp, bringing forth the gladness of preaching in the house of thy Lord.

Thou didst diligently direct thy mind according to the command of the Savior, O divinely blessed one, and wast an eminent pastor of His Church as was meet.

In torment thou didst offer thyself wholly unto Christ as a living sacrifice, having suffered before through the witness of thy conscience and by fasting, O all-blessed one.

Theotokion: Thou didst shake off the dust of our mortality, truly giving birth unto immortality, and thou hast woven for us garments of incorruption by thy birthgiving, O Virgin.

Sessional hymn, in Tone VIII, Special Melody: “Of the Wisdom….”

Having truly cultivated the vine of grace in thy soul, O wise father, thou didst pour forth the word of faith like wine, making glad the thoughts of all the faithful; and thou wast shown to be an impassible abyss of miracles. Wherefore, thou art revealed as the adornment of martyrs, O Polycarp, who ended thy life in fire and hast been vouchsafed everlasting light. Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission unto those who celebrate thy holy memory with love.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

Dragged down by evil thoughts, I have fallen into the deep of sin; and sighing I cry out to thee with all my heart, O all-pure one: Show forth upon me the wonder of thy rich mercy and the unfathomable abyss of thy loving-kindness, and the incalculable wealth of thy compassions; and grant me repentance and forgiveness of my transgressions, that I may cry out to thee with love: Entreat Christ God, that He grant me remission of transgressions, for I, thy servant, have thee as my hope!

Or this Stavrotheotokion

The Ewe-lamb, beholding the Lamb, Shepherd and Deliverer upon the Cross, exclaimed, weeping, and cried out, bitterly lamenting: The world rejoiceth, receiving deliverance through Thee, but my womb doth burn, beholding the crucifixion which Thou dost endure for the sake of the loving-kindness of Thy mercy. O long-suffering Lord, Abyss and inexhaustible Wellspring of mercy: Take pity, and grant remission of transgressions unto those who with faith hymn Thy divine sufferings.

Ode IV

Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, of Thy glorious dispensation, and I have glorified Thine unapproachable power, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

O father Polycarp, thou hast been shown to be a most fertile and right fruitful grove of the Master.

As a perfect whole-burnt offering and a pure sacrifice didst thou offer thyself to the Savior of all, O father Polycarp.

We hymn the mighty endurance of thy soul and the valor of thy struggles, O glorious one.

Theotokion: Illumine with thy light my gloom-enshrouded soul, O pure one who gavest birth to the everlasting Light.

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.

Thy mind enlightened with spiritual radiance and mystically aflame with fire, O venerable one, thou didst clearly learn by the fire of thine end, O divinely wise one.

Thou didst receive the stream of life as from a torrent of nourishment, O all-wise one, being taught by the beloved disciple who drew it forth from the deep of wisdom.

Riches and radiant glory, length of days and life incorruptible hath Christ, the true Wisdom, given thee, O father, as one greatly beloved of Him.

Theotokion: The Ancient of Days descended upon thy sanctified womb like rain upon a fleece, O all-pure one; and He Who loveth mankind hath appeared as a new Adam.

Ode VI

Irmos: Whirled about in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unfathomable abyss of Thy loving-kindness: Lead me up from corruption, O God!

Having died to the whole world, O divinely eloquent one, and remaining alive to Christ alone, thou hast passed on to Him, receiving incorruption of life.

Walking nobly, O blessed one, and showing thyself to be a child of the Light and of peace, thou didst recognize Marcion as the first-born of the night and an adversary.

Taught by thy words, O father, we conquer every vile heresy and the wicked assemblies of the ungodly who would introduce two principles.

Theotokion: Having conceived the pure Lamb Who taketh away the sin of the world, O all-immaculate one, beseech Him to grant remission of transgressions unto thy servants.

Kontakion, in Tone I, Special Melody: “The choir of the angels….”

Offering sacrifices of the virtues unto the Lord as spiritual fruits, O wise Polycarp, thou wast therefore glorified by God as a worthy hierarch. Wherefore, enlightened today by thy words, we hymn thy praiseworthy memory, glorifying the Lord.

Ikos: Having drawn forth the goodness of wisdom, O father, thou didst fill thy flock with the divine knowledge thereof; and thou didst shine forth the threefold Sun of the all-holy and ineffable Godhead and didst teach the one glory, the one Godhead: the unbegottenness of the Father, the generation of the Son and the procession of the Spirit; and the godlessness of idolatry didst thou cut off at the root. And thou didst bring the souls of the faithful as ripe fruits to God in Whose name we have been baptized and in Whom we believe, glorifying the Lord.

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!

Burning with steadfast thought, thou didst pass the flame, O glorious one, as the three youths passed through the furnace bedewed by the immaterial fire; and thou didst remain unconsumed, crying out in the midst of the fire: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Blessed art thou, and good it is for thee who hast made thine abode where the mansions of the righteous are, where are the armies of martyrs, and where the choirs of the wise apostles cry aloud: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Souls that before were made barren hast thou brought to Christ as most fruitful, having laid them low with the cultivation of the Spirit and set comely seed therein, instructing them to chant with thee: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Theotokion: O all-pure Virgin Mother, thou alone hast been shown to be the unwedded Mother of God Who hast wrought all things in wisdom. Wherefore, piously crying out to thee, O all-immaculate one, we chant: Blessed art thou who gavest birth unto 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!

Celebrating the mystical service of Christ, O glorious one, thou didst offer thyself unto God as a rational sheep, an acceptable and right pleasing and rich sacrifice, O thrice-blessed Polycarp.

In thine old age thou didst show forth a youthful and most profound courage. And by the power of the Cross thou didst raise thyself up to divine struggles, O venerable and divinely wise one, thou glory of Christ’s hieromartyrs.

Made steadfast by the Cross and worthily robed in hierarchical beauty, O father, with thy blood thou didst enter the Church of God to appear before Christ, the Chief Shepherd.

Slain for Christ like a renowned ram, O thou who art shown to be sacred, thou didst show thyself to be an emulator of His sufferings, and hast become a partaker of His glory and a co-heir to His Kingdom.

Theotokion: O all-immaculate Virgin, pure Theotokos, be thou to me, who am lost in the wilderness of life, a luminous pillar of fire and a cloud of light guiding me to the heavenly inheritance.

Ode IX

Irmos: O ye faithful, with hymns let us magnify in oneness of mind the Word of God, Who from God came in His ineffable wisdom to renew Adam who had grievously fallen into corruption, and Who became ineffably incarnate of the holy Virgin for our sake.

Shining forth, thy radiant memory enlighteneth the souls of those who piously celebrate it, O wondrous father; and it maketh them partakers of the effulgence of God. And with hymns, O divinely wise one, we bless it as is meet.

Standing before the throne of the Master with the choirs of the holy angels on high, entreat Him, that we may attain unto His saving passion and resurrection, radiantly perfecting the divers forms of the virtues.

Knowing thee, O father, to be a crown-bearer who hath received the trophy of honor from the right hand of God, and who hast finished thy course and art filled with light, we earnestly set thee before Christ as an intercessor.

Theotokion: O Virgin, with hymns do we, the faithful, magnify thee with oneness of mind, as the Theotokos, the Mother of the Word, who art for us the mediatress of everlasting and divine life, in that thou didst shine forth upon us the Sun of righteousness.

Exapostilarion, Special Melody: “Thou hast visited us….”

Being a disciple of the beloved disciple, O Polycarp, thou didst bring to the Lord much fruit of the faithful; and thou didst offer thyself as a sacrifice in behalf of thy flock. Pray thou now for us all.

Theotokion: O God, send down Thy compassions upon Thy people and Thy flock, through the prayers of Thine all-pure Mother and of all thy saints; and grant Thy great mercy to us all.