Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 14th Day of the Month of March

The Commemoration of Our Venerable Father Benedict

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…,” these stichera, in Tone II, Special Melody: “When from the Tree…”

Having from childhood renounced the world with true faith and love, O father, rejoicing, thou didst follow after the crucified Christ; and having mortified thy flesh with many feats of asceticism, thou didst richly receive the grace of healings, to assuage divers illnesses and to expel evil spirits, greatly astonished.

Being the adornment of monastics, thou didst assemble a countless multitude to hymn the Lord, O venerable Benedict, and didst guide to heaven the steps of all who followed well thy divine teachings and emulated thy virtuous life, O father. With them we do thee honor, rejoicing in thy repose in sacred manner.

Like Elijah of old, O father, thou didst call down rain from the skies at thy supplication, and thou didst cause a vessel to pour forth oil, didst resurrect a dead man and didst work many other miracles, unto the glory of the God and Savior of all, O venerable one. Wherefore, with love we celebrate thy glorious memory, O Benedict.

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

O joy of all who sorrow, intercessor for the oppressed and nurturer of the hungry, consolation of wanderers and staff of the blind, visitation of the infirm, protection and help of those who labor, help of orphans: Mother of God Most High art thou, O all-pure one. Haste thou, we beseech thee, that thy servants be saved!

Stavrotheotokion

The all-pure one, beholding the Creator of all Who endured much affliction and was lifted up upon the Cross, groaned, saying: “O all-hymned Lord, my Son and God, how is it that Thou endurest dishonor in the flesh, desiring to honor Thy creation? Glory to Thy great loving-kindness and condescension, O Thou Who lovest mankind!”

At Matins

The Canon, the acrostic whereof is: “I offer a hymn to the wise Benedict,” the composition of Joseph, 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.

O venerable Benedict, pray thou that God grant deliverance from all transgressions and grace unto me who aspire to hymn thy right laudable memory.

Taking up thy cross from childhood, in monasticism thou didst follow after the Almighty; and having mortified the flesh, thou wast vouchsafed life, O all-blessed one.

Subjecting thyself to the law of God, O right wondrous one, thou didst quell the uprisings of the passions with feats of abstinence, and wast enriched by the grace of dispassion.

Theotokion: Enriched with incorruption on account of thee, O most pure Theotokos, we cry out to thee who art full of joy: Rejoice, O adornment of the venerable and the righteous!

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.

Full of the living waters of the divine Spirit, O God-bearer, thy soul poured forth rivers of miracles, drying up the flux of ailments.

Having trodden the narrow path, thou didst pass over to abide in the broad expanse of paradise, O most blessed one, and didst choke off the wiles of the demons and the ways of the disorderly.

Watered with streams of thy tears, O Benedict, like a fruitful tree, by divine grace thou didst bring forth a divine harvest of virtues and miracles.

Theotokion: He Who alone is good passed, incarnate, through thy womb, O all-immaculate one, and was seen as perfect man. Him do thou beseech, that He save those who hymn thee.

Sessional hymn, in Tone I, Special Melody: “When the stone had been sealed…”

Being a monk in manner pleasing to God, thou didst live virtuously and didst receive the grace of healing, O Benedict, working awesome miracles; and having assembled a sacred community, thou didst lead to the Lord multitudes of the saved, O thou who art most rich. Glory to God Who enlightened thee! Glory to Him Who crowned thee! Glory to Him Who hath glorified thy holy memory!

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

Stretching forth thy divine hands, wherewith thou didst bear the Creator Who in His goodness became incarnate, O all-holy Virgin, beg thou, that He deliver from temptations, sorrows and tribulations us who praise thee with love and cry out: Glory to Him Who dwelt within thee! Glory to Him Who came forth from thee! Glory to Him Who hath delivered us by thy birthgiving!

Stavrotheotokion

In awe at Thy great and dread forbearance, O Savior, the all-pure one lamented bitterly and cried out to Thee Who wast crucified on the Cross by the iniquitous and Whose side wast pierced with a spear by the soldiers: Glory to Thy love for man! Glory to Thy goodness! Glory to Thee Who by Thy death hast rendered man immortal!

Ode IV

Irmos: I hymn Thee, O Lord, for I heard report of Thee, and I was afraid; for Thou comest to me, seeking me who have strayed. Wherefore, I glorify Thy great condescension toward me, O greatly Merciful One.

Having crucified thyself to the passions and the world, O father Benedict, thou didst please Christ Who stretched out His hands on the Cross of His own will. Him do thou entreat, that He save our souls.

With feats of abstinence didst thou mortify thy fleshly members, O venerable one; by thy prayer didst thou raise up the dead; thou gavest the paralyzed, who marvelled in faith, the ability to walk, and didst heal every infirmity, O father.

By thy vivifying discourse, O venerable one, didst thou render dry and desiccated souls fruitful, bringing forth spiritual and divine fruit, in that thou wast advanced by God, O most sacred adornment of monastics.

Theotokion: The incarnate Word descended upon thine honored womb like rain upon the fleece, O pure one, and manifestly halted the rains of polytheism and brought an end to the bitter winter, O most immaculate one.

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.

Entreating the God of mercy, O venerable father, as Elijah filled a cruse, so didst thou fill a great vessel with oil, a thing marvelled at by those who watched with faith.

As one pure of soul, O most blessed Benedict, in ecstasy thou didst behold the whole earth resplendent as beneath a single light, for God so honored thee.

Working miracles in Christ, O Benedict, by thy supplication thou didst entreat the Judge of the contest, that water gush forth, and it remaineth to this day, proclaiming thy wonders.

Theotokion: He Who dwelleth in the heavens, so desiring, made His abode within thy pure womb, that He might make habitations for the Trinity out of us who proclaim thee to be the Theotokos, O pure one.

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!

Illumined by the effulgence of the Spirit, thou didst dispel the darkness of evil demons, O wonder-worker Benedict, most radiant lamp of monastics.

How glorious was thy life, O blessed one! How splendid thine honored way of life whereby thou didst draw the flock of monastics to knowledge of the Savior!

As a resident of the kingdom of heaven, O divinely wise Benedict, pray thou, that we who ever faithfully bless thee may also attain it.

Theotokion: The never-setting Sun of righteousness shone forth from thy holy womb and enlightened the faithful, O most-hymned virgin Theotokos.

Kontakion, in Tone VI

Thou wast enriched by the grace of God, and by thy deeds didst proclaim thy name. In prayer and fasting thou wast shown to be full of the gifts of the Spirit of God, O Benedict, favorite of Christ God. And thou hast been a healer for the infirm, a repulser of the enemy and the ready helper of our souls.

Ode VII

Irmos: The youths of old showed themselves to be rhetors with the greatest love of wisdom; for, theologizing with their lips, they chanted from the depths of their God-pleasing souls: O most divine God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Thou didst acquire life-bearing mortality by setting aside pleasures; wherefore, thou wast vouchsafed to resurrect the dead, O blessed Benedict, crying out: O all-divine God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Astonishing a multitude of the faithful, thou didst do as did the great Elijah, growing a garden for monks by thy venerable labors, and it remaineth ever hedged round about by thy supplications, O blessed one.

The mindless ones who sought to murder thee with evil sorcery were put to shame, O father Benedict, rebuked by the foreknowledge in thee, for thou wast preserved by the hand of Almighty God.

Theotokion: Heal thou the passions of my soul, O Virgin who ineffably conceived the Wellspring of dispassion, and grant me a shower of compunction to bring me consolation there, O holy Theotokos.

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!

Gaining the rule in Christ over corrupting passions, O divinely wise father, thou wast vouchsafed to dwell in the heavenly kingdom with all who lived righteously and loved God Who seeth all things.

Accepting thy holy supplications, through thee God bestowed upon those in want the means to live, glorifying thee exceedingly with miracles on earth, O thrice-blessed Benedict.

Adorned with the beauties of godly virtues, thou didst pass on to the beautiful mansions to abide with God, O father, and to enjoy His divine beauties for ages without end.

Theotokion: Behold, a Babe, the Son of the Most High, is born of thee, O pure one, as Isaiah crieth out; and He is seen to be thy Son also, O Virgin, making those who honor thee children of the heavenly Father.

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.

Thou wast shown to be like the great sun, illumining creation with awesome signs and rays of the virtues; wherefore, celebrating thy truly luminous memory, we are enlightened with heartfelt feelings, O father.

The flock of monastics assembled by thee giveth praise day and night, having in their midst thy body, which poureth forth rivers of miracles abundantly and unceasingly enlighteneth their steps, O wise father.

Fulfilling the commandments of God, thou didst emit a radiance greater than that of the Sun, O father; and thou hast passed into never-waning light, praying that remission of sins be granted to those who faithfully honor thee, O ever-memorable Benedict.

Theotokion: O Virgin, bearer of the Light, drive the passions from my soul, and grant that I may behold, in pure manner, the beauty of the Savior Who shone forth ineffably from thine all-pure womb, as a light unto the nations, O most-hymned one.