Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 10th Day of the Month of June

Commemoration of the Holy Hieromartyr Timothy, Bishop of Prussa

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone IV, Special Melody: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”

Soaring above earthly things through thine active purifications like an animate cloud, O most blessed one, thou didst cast down the perverse serpent with the thunder-claps of thy miracles and the awesome lightning-flashes of thy words, and thou didst receive the grace to burn up the bowels of the adverse carnal serpents with the divine covering of the sacred Gifts.

O holy hierarch Timothy, boast of the people of Prussa, universal champion and beacon of the world, adornment of the Church, sacred sacrifice of faith, and precious and lustrous ornament of the martyrs: pray thou that those who celebrate thy most honored memory with faith may be delivered from corruption and misfortunes.

With thy pangs, O Timothy, thou didst weave an all-comely garment dyed in thy blood, and hast ineffably received from on high heavenly vesture of incorrupt purity and immutable life. Wearing this immaterial robe in the highest, pray thou in behalf of all who praise thee with piety, O athlete.

But if Alleluia is to be chanted at matins instead of “God is the Lord…”, the following stichera of the Theotokos are chanted before the foregoing stichera of the saint, in the same tone & melody

Deliver my lowly soul from condemnation and grievous transgressions, O all-holy Bride of God, and by thy supplications rescue it from death; grant that, on the day of trial, it may obtain the justification which the assemblies of the saints have received, and, before the end, show it forth to be purified by outpourings of tears.

With the showers of the all-holy Spirit bedew thou my mind, O all-pure one who gavest birth unto Christ, the Drop of rain, Who by His compassions hath washed away the immeasurably boundless iniquities of men; dry up the source of my passions, and ever vouchsafe unto me a torrent of living sustenance by thy supplications.

O Virgin who gavest birth to my Savior, by thy supplications grant me thorough repentance, the healing of salvation, torrents of tears, remembrance of the dread and awesome hour and the impartial Judge, that I may escape terrifying torment and receive grace divine.

Glory…, Now and ever…

Ten thousand time have I promised repentance for mine offenses, O all-pure one, yet I do not forsake the way of evil which I have come to love; wherefore, I cry out to thee and fall down in supplication: Rescue me, O Mistress, from such tyranny, guiding me to the higher things which lead to salvation.

Stavrotheotokion

When she beheld Thee, the Lamb and Shepherd, upon the Tree, the ewe-lamb who gave Thee birth lamented and cried out to Thee maternally: “O my Son most desired, how is it that Thou art suspended upon the Tree, O Long-suffering One? How is it that Thy feet and hands have been pierced with nails by the iniquitous, O Word, and Thou hast shed Thy blood, O Master?”

At Matins

Canon of the hieromartyr, in Tone IV

Ode I

Irmos: O Thou Who wast born of the Virgin, drown Thou, I pray Thee, the three parts of my soul in the depths of dispassion, as of old Thou didst drown the mounted captains of Pharaoh; that, in the mortality of my body, as on a timbrel, I may chant a hymn of victory.

Possessed of invincible strength and immutable and unchangeable might, O Good One, with Thine ineffable power make firm the weakness of my tongue, that it may hymn Thee; and through the supplications of Timothy have pity on me.

With godly might thou didst grow a sacred garden from a sacred root, O Timothy, and didst show thyself to be a divine adornment of the virtues; for thou didst put forth abundant fruits of suffering and didst offer them to the Master of all.

Showing thyself to be adorned in the dye of thy blood with purity of mind and splendor of soul, O God-bearing Timothy, thou now reignest with the Master of creation and hast interceded for thy flock with faith.

Theotokion: O good Theotokos, thou animate and all-radiant house of God, joy of the world: Put me not far away from thee, but take pity and deliver me from all temptations, that I may revel in thy protection.

Ode III

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

Showing thyself to be a martyr splendid with the martyrs of Christ, O glorious one, thou hast shown thyself to be an adornment of priests among wise priests.

Come, ye faithful, O flock of the bishop of Prussa, and let us hymn today the temple of the Lord, the treasury of wisdom.

Mingling thy blood with the sweat of the virtues, O all-wise Timothy, thou didst offer it to the Lord as a pure, divine and beautiful drink.

Theotokion: O Mary Mother of God, pure one who art more exalted than the cherubim, Mistress of all the earth: Save me by thy divine entreaties.

Sessional hymn, in Tone V, Special Melody: “The Word Who with the Father and the Spirit is equally without beginning…”

Irrigated with the showers of thy blood, O hieromartyr of the Lord, in the good soil of thy heart thou didst produce fruit, the inexhaustible sustenance which thou didst receive from God. Wherefore, we entreat thee to deliver from misfortunes those who honor thy memory.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Sessional hymn from the Pentecostarion, or this Theotokion

Finding thee to be a haven, a bulwark, a refuge, our hope, protection and fervent help, we, the faithful, hasten to thee and cry out earnestly, exclaiming with faith: Have mercy upon those who place their trust in thee, O Theotokos, and deliver us from transgressions.

Stavrotheotokion

By the Cross of thy Son hath all the falsehood of idolatry been abolished and the might of the demons hath been trampled underfoot, O thou who art full of the grace of God. Wherefore, we, the faithful, ever hymn and bless thee as is meet, and, truly confessing thee to be the Theotokos, we magnify thee.

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!

Having acquired a life of heavenly wisdom, and wholly resplendent with the thunderings of the Spirit, thou didst utterly consume the most pernicious serpent, O glorious one, strengthened by divine grace.

Adorned with vision and activity, O Timothy, like a Levite thou didst disembowel the serpent, using as a two-edged knife the covering of the consecrated Bread.

Acknowledging Christ, the great High Priest, Who came before the Father not with the blood of any man, but with His own, O martyr, as His companion thou didst make sacrifice, offering up thine own blood.

Theotokion: The many-eyed ones who keep unceasing watch are overcome, beholding thy purity, O pure Theotokos; for as Mistress thou dost ever anticipate them and dost always watch over thy servants.

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.

Smiting the hordes of the iniquitous like a swift scythe and a mighty sword, thou hast been crowned with victory.

Shown forth as a radiant beacon of the day, thou didst enlighten the queen whose face was enveloped in the darkness of evil, O glorious one.

Beholding the confusion of the abominations of the idols, thou didst give thyself over to the shedders of blood like a lamb, O blessed one, and didst offer thyself as a sacrifice to God.

Theotokion: O Virgin, thou pure turtle-dove who extendest the protection of the wings of thy supplication over thy servants in the world, disdain me not.

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.

The whole world is glad today, rejoicing in thy memory, O blessed one; for with rays of miracles thou sheddest light from on high upon the souls of those who hymn thee.

Thou hast been shown now to be a minister not of an altar on earth, but, entering into the chambers of heaven, thou dost eat at the ineffable table, whereat grant us all thy food and refreshment.

Accomplishing thy sacred struggle lawfully and with boldness, O divinely wise Timothy, thou didst denounce the mindlessness of the emperor and didst demolish the temples of the idols.

Theotokion: Thy Son, the Creator of all, Who is God from before time began, is hymned with angelic voices, O Bride of God. O Mistress, as thou reignest with Him, save me.

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!

The grace of God rightly crowned thee before thy sufferings as a treasury rich in the virtues, and, resplendent with gifts of miracles, it hath made thee radiant in the world.

Beholding the threat of the sword and the flame of the fire, O martyr, thou didst arm thy mind and soul with faith and with fearless understanding didst preach Christ, thy Creator, Fashioner and Lord.

Theotokion: Having within thy womb Him Who as God holdeth all things in the palm of His hands, O Mother of God, thou preservest those who cry aloud: Blessed art Thou among women, O all-immaculate one.

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!

Strengthened with the power of divine faith, O wise Timothy, thou hast been shown forth to us as a new Daniel, destroying the pernicious serpent; and borne aloft to the highest, thou criest out, ever chanting: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

As a sacred servant thou hast entered into the joy of thy Lord; for thou didst vastly increase the talant of faith by thy pangs, sufferings and miracles, O glorious one, crying aloud: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Driving away the infirmities of men, O all-wise one, thou dost perfume their souls with thine anointings, doest away with their painful wounds by thy mighty gifts, and deliverest from evil spirits those who ever cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Theotokion: Through thy divine birthgiving our nature hath received a glorious crown. Wherefore, grant that I may become a victor in battle against the enemy, and may be crowned with the splendid crown of thy gifts, and may cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Ode IX

Irmos: Eve, through weakness, abode under the curse of disobedience; but thou, O Virgin Theotokos, hast put forth blessing for the world through the Offspring of thy child-bearing. Wherefore, we all magnify thee.

All-glorious miracles have we truly seen in thee, O God-bearing Timothy; for the shrine of thy relics poureth forth streams of healing upon us and doth banish the pangs of infirmities. Wherefore, we glorify thee with honor.

Joining chorus with the angelic armies, rejoicing with the assemblies of the martyrs and chanting with the ranks of the priests, O Timothy, unceasingly entreat the Lord, that He save those who praise thee with faith.

Thou dost hearken to the sounds of hymnody and entreaty, O most honored martyr of Christ. Attend thou to desire and love, and lift up thine eyes to Him Who is invincible in wrath; and from on high grant thy protection to all who praise thee with faith.

Theotokion: Lift up thy grace, O Pure one, magnify thy supplication, and escort unto the Lord the ranks of angels, the choirs of apostles and prophets, and all the righteous and the martyrs, that we who honor thee may be saved.