Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 17th Day of the Month of June

Commemoration of the Holy Martyrs Manuel, Sabel & Ismael

At Vespers

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

Like stars of surpassing splendor, O all-praised passion-bearers, ye illumine the ends of the world with divine radiance, dispelling the darkness of the demons, the corrupting passions and misfortunes. Wherefore, assembling today, O glorious ones, we praise your luminous, light-bearing and holy festival.

With sacred hymns let the wondrous Manuel, the blessed Sabel and the all-wise Ismael, be honored; for, confessing the uncreated Trinity in sacred manner in the face of the enemy, they extinguished the falsehood of polytheism with the outpouring of their blood, and have received glory which fadeth not away.

O blessed Manuel, Ismael and Sabel of great renown, ye wisely put to shame the lawless king who iniquitously commanded you to worship and render honor to his mindless, inanimate gods; and, having suffered patiently and lawfully, ye have woven for yourselves wreaths of victory, praying for the world.

Glory…, in Tone VIII

The glorious martyrs, loving Thee in purity, O Word of God, having forsaken the worship of fire and spurned the land of Chaldæa, were illumined by Thy light; and having armed themselves with the weaponry of faith, they put the tyrant Julian to shame. The glorious Manuel, the wondrous Sabel, and Ismael thrice rich, hymning Thee with the Father and the Spirit, do pray that our souls be saved.

Now and ever…: Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion, Special Melody: “O all-glorious wonder…”

“What is this sight that I see, which mine eyes behold, O Master? Thou Who sustainest all creation, dost die, lifted up upon the Tree, granting life unto all!” weeping, the Theotokos said when she beheld the God and man, Who had shone forth from her ineffably, uplifted upon the Cross.

Troparion, in Tone IV

In their sufferings, O Lord, Thy martyrs received imperishable crowns from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, they set the tyrants at nought and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. By their supplications save our souls.

At Matins

Both canons from the Octoechos, and that of the martyrs, with 4 Troparia, in Tone VIII

Ode I

Irmos: Let us chant unto Christ, Who overthrew the tyranny of Pharaoh in the sea, and led Israel over to dry land, for He hath been glorified forever.

Let us all chant a hymn to God, the Almighty Creator, Who, as is meet, hath honored for all ages the glorious Manuel and those who suffered with him.

Having cast off their ancestral worship of fire, they fended off the assault of the tyrant and became athletes through their honorable confession of the Trinity.

Having suffered for the Trinity, being equal in number thereto, O martyrs, ye were right magnificently crowned; wherefore, pray ye unceasingly, that God deliver us all from misfortunes.

Theotokion: He Who was the supernatural Offspring of the Virgin, in being born set back the prince of darkness, as is written, and hath opened Eden unto those who confess her to be the Theotokos.

Ode III

Irmos: None is as holy as the Lord, and none is as righteous as our God, Whom all creation doth hymn, singing: None is righteous save Thee, O Lord!

It is not possible, O saints, to praise your sacred suffering as is meet, whereby ye have been crowned with wreaths woven in heaven, entreating God our Deliverer that we be saved.

Consumed by fire, failing not in resolve, tempered by blows and honed by pangs, O martyrs, ye became swords forged in heaven against the ungodly foe.

The tyrant was put to shame, the iniquitous apostate suffered a terrible fall when Christ gave the three martyrs the strength valiantly to oppose his ungodliness.

Theotokion: O Christ our God, we bring before Thee her who gave Thee birth in the flesh, and the assembly of martyrs, to supplicate Thy might. By their entreaties grant peace to Thy world.

Sessional hymn, in Tone I, Special Melody: “Thy tomb, O Savior…”

Like a thrice radiant lamp set alight with the fire of the Trinity, ye burned away the darkness of the Persians who worship fire and with boldness preached Christ, Who shone forth from the Virgin who knew not man; and ye received a blessed end, O martyrs three in number.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

To the path of repentance guide us who have ever strayed into the trackless wastes of evil and have angered the all-good Lord, O blessed Mother who knewest not wedlock, thou refuge of the desperate and dwelling-place of God.

Stavrotheotokion

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

Ode IV

Irmos: O Word, with divine vision the prophet perceived Thee Who wast to become incarnate of the Theotokos alone, the mountain overshadowed; and with fear he glorified Thy power.

O blessed Trinity, from a sorcerous root, an ungodly father, yet also from a pious mother did the martyred brethren spring forth, producing fruits of piety.

O thrice-radiant trinity radiant Manuel, Sabel and Ismael like the sun ye were steadfast stars of the Faith, manifestly shining forth upon the world.

O ye three holy martyrs, pray ye as one to the Trinity, that those who keep your memory with true faith may be granted cleansing and remission of offenses.

Theotokion: Thou hast truly been shown to be the beautiful palace of the King of all, the throne of the Most High transcending creation, O Mother of God, and an intercessor for our souls.

Ode V

Irmos: Out of the night of ignorance the day of divine knowledge dawneth in the light of Thy countenance, O Christ. May Thy praise shine forth in our hearts like the light of the morn.

We all celebrate the memory of the martyrs as is meet; for by their blood hath all the air of the world been hallowed.

Of old the Church of the faithful did battle against the forces of night, and the martyrs illumined it with the radiance of their Orthodox Faith.

The bosom of Abraham received the souls of the martyrs, by whom the kingdom on high was proclaimed as an image depicted.

Theotokion: O Mother of God who truly gavest birth to the incarnate God, One of the Trinity: Pray thou, that He deliver thy servants.

Ode VI

Irmos: Grant me a robe of light, O Thou Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment, O most merciful Christ our God.

Saved from the waves and steered by the rudder of the Cross, the holy martyrs escaped spiritual defilement.

Gaping wide, the earth covered your blood, O saints, and suddenly your relics were enclosed in the treasuries below.

Grant peace to the world, O God, and in that Thou art merciful save Thy flock unharmed, through the supplications of Thy glorious passion-bearers.

Theotokion: Having conceived God without seed, thou gavest birth without corruption to the Creator of nature. Him do thou beseech, O Mother of God, that we be saved.

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

Wounded by the Faith of Christ, O most blessed ones, and having faithfully drained the cup thereof, ye cast the worship and audacity of the Persians down to the ground, making supplications in behalf of us all, O ye who are equal in number to the Trinity.

Ikos: O Jesus, Bestower of life, Who hast existed from the beginning, with Thy divine goodness do Thou manifestly illumine me, that I may hymn the martyrs who struggled for Thee even unto death, who valiantly cast down all the might of the enemy and escaped the falsehood of the idols, strengthened by the power of the Cross; for, having suffered tortures, they have received the glory of the Trinity. Entreat God in behalf of us all.

Ode VII

Irmos: O Lord God of our fathers, Who in the beginning founded the earth and established the heavens by Thy word: Blessed art Thou forever!

As with a single light the light-bearing Church of Christ kindled the three lamps: the glorious crown-bearer and victorious Manuel and those who suffered with him.

Forsaking their Chaldæan homeland, the three honored warriors of the Trinity abandoned the Zoroastrian religion, crying: Blessed art Thou forever, O Lord God of our fathers!

The three children, Shadrach and those with him, spurned the worship of the Chaldæans; and the three warriors from Persia, Manuel and those with him, suffered for Christ.

Theotokion: Among women a virgin hath never given birth, save thee alone, O Virgin Theotokos; for no infant hath ever had both a father above and a mother below; yet Christ hath both.

Ode VIII

Irmos: The Lord Who was glorified on the holy mountain, and by the fire in the bush revealed to Moses the mystery of the Ever-virgin, hymn ye and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Having invigorated their bodies by abstinence and strengthened their spirit with piety, the passion-bearers of Christ brought all the prowess of athletes to bear upon the invisible princes of darkness.

Crowned with the martyrs’ wreaths as with flowers, the Church of Christ, arrayed itself in bridal vesture dyed in blood, the martyrs’ dye of incorruption.

O Christ, Thou hast vouchsafed thy martyrs to receive the portion and lot of the saved, and glory which cannot be taken away, for they confess Thee to be the only Son of the Father and the Virgin.

Theotokion: O Theotokos, cease thou never to beseech the One of the Trinity to Whom thou gavest birth, that we be delivered from our iniquities and vouchsafed His epiphany and kingdom.

Ode IX

Irmos: Thy birthgiving, O Ever-virgin, which was revealed to the law-giver on the mountain in the fire and the bush, for the salvation of us, the faithful, do we magnify with unceasing hymnody.

Grace united you together with a triple bond, O Manuel, Sabel and Ismael, uniting with unshakable faith the single-minded virtue of your confession of Christ.

With a sling of three thongs ye vanquished the vile apostate Julian, the lying tyrant, O ye three warriors of the Trinity, and together ye have been crowned.

Right memorable was the miracle of the martyrs; for after their demise the ground gaped wide and covered them, yet in a little while, like luminous stars they shone forth from the bosom of the earth.

Theotokion: O Mother of God, Virgin among mothers, who at the ineffable word of the archangel gavest birth through thy womb to the transcendent Word Who was begotten of the unoriginate Father: Save the souls of those who hymn thee.

Exapostilarion

Truly the wondrous and most sacred memorial of the great Manuel and the all-glorious martyrs Sabel and Ismael, woven together as of three golden strands, hath dawned! It hath illumined the hearts of all the faithful with light and maketh glad their souls.

Theotokion

As thou hast loving-kindness and great mercy, O most hymned Virgin Theotokos, look upon my lowliness, do away with the turmoil of the passions and the temptations of life, and deliver me from the fire of Gehenna, O Maiden.

At Divine Liturgy

Prokimenon, in Tone IV

Wondrous is God in His saints, the God of Israel.

Irmos: In congregations bless ye God, the Lord from the wellsprings of Israel.

Epistle to the Ephesians, §233 [6: 10-17]

Brethren: Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Alleluia, in Tone IV

Stichos: The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and He delivered them out of all their tribulations.

Stichos: Many are the tribulations of the righteous, and the Lord shall deliver them out of them all.

Gospel according to Luke, §106 [Lk. 21:12-19]

The Lord said to His disciples: “Beware of men. They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake. But there shall not a hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls.”

Communion Verse

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright.