Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 28th Day of the Month of February

Commemoration of Our Venerable Father Basil the Confessor, Fellow Faster of the Holy Procopius

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone IV, Special Melody: “Thou hast given a sign…”

Desiring a blessedness which passeth understanding, thou didst reckon abstinence to be food, poverty to be wealth, lack of acquisition to be abundant possessions, and humility to be glory, O wondrous one. Wherefore, thou didst also receive thy desire in accordance with thine understanding, abiding in the tabernacles of the saints, O Basil.

Thou didst complete the immutable course of abstinence, and didst keep the Faith. Wherefore, thou hast been adorned with a crown of righteousness, O father, which Christ hath prepared for thee, awarding thee recompense in accordance with thy merits, and bestowing upon thee honors and rewards for thy pangs. Him do thou beseech, O divinely inspired one, that He save our souls.

All love of pleasure which enslaved thy body didst thou cast off, O divinely wise one, harrowing thy senses with the pangs of abstinence, with terrible living conditions, the endurance of temptations, and the withstanding of evil circumstances; and thereby thou hast received never-ending delight, everlasting sweetness and ineffable joy.

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

Take pity, O Mistress, upon me who am brought low by the assaults of the demons, and have been cast down into the pit of destruction; and set me firmly upon the rock of the virtues, fending off the attacks of the enemy. Vouchsafe that I may obey the commandments of thy Son and our God, that I may receive remission on the Day of Judgment.

Stavrotheotokion, in the same melody

Beholding Christ, Who loveth mankind, crucified, His side pierced by a spear, the all-pure one cried out, weeping: “What is this, O my Son? What have the thankless people done to Thee in return for the good Thou hast done for them? Thou makest haste to leave me childless, O most Loving One. I marvel at Thy voluntary crucifixion, O Compassionate One!”

Troparion, in Tone I

A dweller in the desert, an angel in the flesh, and a wonderworker wast thou, O our God-bearing father Basil. Receiving heavenly gifts through fasting, vigil and prayer, thou healest the sicknesses and souls of those who with faith have recourse unto thee. Glory to Him Who gave thee strength! Glory to Him Who hath crowned thee! Glory to Him Who worketh healings for all through thee!

At Matins

Canon, the acrostic whereof is: “I know thee to be a foundation of the faith, O father”, the composition of Theophanes, 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.

Having grounded thine ascent upon the rock of faith, O father, thou didst not fear the assaults of temptations; but as a champion of virtue, a namesake of the kingdom, thou didst remain unshaken.

The grace of the all-holy Spirit, strengthening thee, made thee firm to endure painful wounds, and showed thee to be a victor over the vain-minded tyrant.

By thy virtues, O father, thou didst receive a wise fellow athlete and warrior who was ever victorious; and rejoicing with him, O thou who art most rich, by torment thou didst pass the contest of suffering.

Theotokion: O most lauded Theotokos, I offer thee, who gavest birth to God, the Benefactor of all creation, as the intercessor for my life, the mediatress of my salvation, and an insuperable bulwark.

Ode III

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

Thou didst zealously direct thy heart toward God, O venerable one, and didst shine forth in the grace of fasting and confession.

Taking up military discipline and the armor of the Cross, thou didst vanquish the noetic serpent and the tangible lion, O father.

Having piously preserved in your souls that which was according to the image of God, O venerable ones, ye suffered for venerating the all-pure image of Christ.

Theotokion: Through thee was the original curse turned to blessing, O pure one, and our nature, held fast by corruption, hath received incorruption.

Sessional hymn, in Tone III, Special Melody: “Awed by the beauty of thy virginity…”

Having put away corruptible wealth and fleeting glory, thou didst receive heavenly riches and truly everlasting glory, O blessed father. Wherefore, we bless thy holy repose, and celebrating on the day thereof, we cry out to thee: Remember us, O Basil, who hast boldness before God!

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

Beyond understanding and unapproachable is the dread mystery of God which was wrought through thee, O divinely joyous Mistress; for, having conceived the Infinite One, thou gavest birth to Him, clad in flesh taken from thine all-pure blood. Him do thou ever entreat as thy Son, O pure one, that our souls be saved.

Stavrotheotokion

Thy pure Mother who knew not wedlock, O Christ, beholding Thee hanging dead upon the Cross, said, weeping maternally: “How hath the iniquitous and thankless synagogue of the Jews repaid Thee, which benefited by Thy many and great gifts, O my Son? I hymn Thy divine condescension!”

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!

Thine endurance was beautiful, O most blessed and venerable one, showing forth a youthful firmness in thine old age; and therein thou didst cry out: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

United by love to thy Master, and clothed with His strength, thou didst not feel the pangs of the flesh, but, crying aloud, thou didst chant: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

As namesake of the kingdom of heaven, thou didst tread the path which leadeth thereto, finding in Procopius a companion who cried out: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Theotokion: Thou gavest birth without knowing wedlock, O Virgin, and wast shown to be Virgin even after giving birth. Wherefore, with unwavering faith we call out: “Rejoice!” to thee with unceasing cries.

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.

Thou didst struggle splendidly, O venerable Basil, taming the unrestrained ferocity of the lion and the character of the foolish.

Thou didst find Procopius to be of equal strength in struggles; and thou didst finish the contest, crowned divinely with many successes.

Now thou dost noetically behold Christ Whom thou didst desire, and Whose manifestations thou didst truly see from afar, O all-blessed and most sacred one.

Theotokion: We wield thee as an invincible weapon against the enemy, O Bride of God, and have acquired thee as the confirmation and hope of our salvation.

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.

Having received the kingdom on high by love, O God-bearer, thou didst bravely spurn the senseless character, orders and commands of the emperor. Twice

Stripped bare of earthly things, thou didst struggle wisely; and invested with divine power, thou wast shown to be crowned, having prevailed over the animosity of the godless tyrants.

Theotokion: Lo, the predictions of the prophets were fulfilled when thou gavest birth unto Him Whom the prophets of old foretold and Who fulfilleth prophecies by the grace of the Spirit.

Kontakion, in Tone II, Special Melody: “Seeking the highest…”

Receiving divine revelation from on high, thou didst withdraw from the midst of the tumult, O wise one; and having lived the monastic life venerably, thou didst receive the power to work miracles and to heal diseases by grace, O most blessed and sacred Basil.

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!

Strengthened by divine power, O father, thou didst denounce as utterly mindless all who cast away the precious image of Christ; and thou didst cry out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord! Twice

Christ found thee ploughed and cleared by asceticism and shining patiently with fasting, O father, who criest: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Theotokion: All of us, the faithful, hymn thee as the pure Theotokos and Queen of all creation; and we cry out to thee: Rejoice! Blessed art thou among women, O most immaculate Mistress!

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!

As a sacrifice made perfect by the fire of witness and consumed by the flame of wounds, thou didst offer thy body and mind unto Christ as a wholeburnt offering, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Pursuing thine enemies even while tortured, thou didst cast them down, O venerable father; and thou didst trample upon the foolishness of the arrogant one, looking upon the savage ones who tormented thee, and crying: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Thou hast appeared to us as an artist excellent in teaching, O thou who art most rich; for thou didst most courageously pass from asceticism, which thou first endured, to sufferings, having Procopius as thy fellow athlete, who cried out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Theotokion: We have thee as a radiant portal to heaven, through which God passed. He Who before was incorporeal, consubstantial with the Father, became incarnate. To Him do we cry out: 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.

Having now transcended all the senses, thou hast passed on, through love, to the Master, rejoicing, O father, receiving the riches of thy labors, angelic beauty and the everlasting sweetness of paradise.

Having received the hope of the blessed and everlasting blessedness with thy disciple and fellow athlete, O God-bearer, watch over those who celebrate your feast.

Having passed from the earth to the delight of heaven, where the assemblies of the saints and the divine armies of the angels are, O crowned ones, by your supplications save the company of your disciples.

Theotokion: Uproot the tares of the transgressions of those who hymn thee, O Mother of God; put down the assaults of temptations; quell the tumult of sin, and still the tempest of tribulations, O Virgin Mother.