Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 23rd Day of the Month of May

Commemoration of Our Venerable Father Michael the Confessor, Bishop of Synada

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 from the Pentecostarion; and 3 for the saint, in Tone VIII, Special Melody: “O all-glorious wonder…”

O blessed and divinely inspired father Michael, as is meet, thou hast been vouchsafed to behold the Wellspring of blessings, the Fulfillment of the desire for the uttermost desires, the true Blessedness which all nature truly desireth. O thy beauteous comeliness, O glorious one! Rejoicing therein, thou standest now before Christ as a radiant hierarch.

Arrayed in priestly vesture, O God-pleasing father Michael, thou didst hasten to the tribunal of the tyrant and didst offer thyself to Christ; and, adorned with twofold crowns, O blessed one, thou didst look upon the ranks of the hierarchy. O thine ineffable gladness, O all-wise one, in which thou wast truly counted worthy to share, O divinely blessed one.

Bedewed from on high, O divinely wise father Michael, thou didst divinely quench the fire of temptations and didst pass through it unharmed; and, rejoicing, O blessed hieromartyr, thou wast splendidly added to the holy hierarchs who were before thee. O thine ineffable and radiant habitation wherein Christ hath now caused thee to dwell as an honored hierarch!

But if this day fall during the Apostles’ Fast and Alleluia is sung instead of “God is the Lord…”, we chant the following stichera to the Theotokos first, in the same tone & melody

Rejoice, thou enlightenment of men’s souls, forgiveness of the sinful, correction of the negligent! Rejoice, O consolation and joy, helper of the sorrowful! Rejoice, O good one, thou healing of ailing souls! Rejoice, mediatress and reconciliation before God, O pure one who art holier than all the seraphim!

Having received flesh through thy blood, O pure one, the preëternal God hath shown thee to be an intercessor for men. Wherefore, deliver thy servants from every misfortune and evil circumstance and from the snares of the wicked enemy, and vouchsafe that all the elect who glorify and do thee homage may partake of radiant light.

Save me, O all-pure Mistress, who ineffably gavest birth to Christ the Savior; for thee have I acquired as my sole intercessor, an insuperable rampart, my protection and joy, the divine consolation of my soul. Wherefore, deliver me from the worm which sleepeth not and from everlasting fire, O Mother of Christ God.

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

That I may magnify thee with joyful voice, O pure one, and glorify the depth of thy love for mankind, save me from misfortunes and rescue me from the soul-destroying darts of the invisible and most wicked foe; for I set thee against him as a firm and invincible weapon, O divine Bride, Mother of Christ God.

Stavrotheotokion

Seeing Thee nailed to the Cross, O Jesus, and accepting suffering willingly, the Virgin, Thy Mother, cried out, O Master: “Woe is me, O my sweet Child! How is it that thou dost unjustly endure wounding, O Physician Who hast healed the infirmity of man and delivered all from corruption in Thy loving-kindness?”

At Matins

Canon of the saint, in Tone II

Ode I

Irmos: Overwhelming power once laid low the whole army of Pharaoh in the deep, and the incarnate Word hath destroyed pernicious sin. All-glorious is the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified.

Thou wast a holy hierarch of God, O wondrous father Michael, shining with the ineffable light of abstinence and bearing royal sanctity; and thou didst shepherd the Church of Christ, O all-blessed one.

Holding forth with thy radiant mouth, thou didst piously transmit the doctrines of theology to all, O Michael who art most rich; and, denouncing the blasphemies of heresies, thou wast a champion of piety, O all-blessed one.

As a vessel of divine gifts, O blessed and most lauded Michael, thou didst most manifestly give of them to all the faithful, having acquired a godly life and been vested with righteousness as with a robe.

Thou didst continue to venerate with honor the sacred image of Christ and the Mother of God, O most sacred Michael, and didst cast down the blasphemous speech of the heretics, vanquishing them with thy words and sufferings.

Theotokion: The all-glorious Lord, the Sun shining forth upon us from thy womb, O pure and all-pure one, illumined all with His divine splendors, driving away all the gloomy darkness of the demons; for gloriously hath He been glorified.

Ode III

Irmos: Establishing me upon the rock of faith, Thou hast enlarged my mouth against mine enemies, for my spirit doth exult when I chant: There is none holy as our God, and none righteous save Thee, O Lord!

Through transitory things thou didst earn things which are lasting and abide forever, O divinely eloquent one; for thou didst live a different life, crying: There is none as holy as our God, and none more righteous than Thee, O Lord!

Divine grace was poured forth in thy lips, enlarging thy mouth, and thou didst receive gifts of wisdom, and didst cry: There is none as holy as our God, and none more righteous than Thee, O Lord!

Thou didst subdue the passions through abstinence, didst illumine thy mind with divine vision, and wast spiritually active, crying: There is none as holy as our God, and none more righteous than Thee, O Lord!

Theotokion: We hymn the all-pure Theotokos Mary as the mediatress who made manifest our salvation. O ye who are divinely wise, let us chant: There is none as immaculate as thee, O most immaculate one, and none more pure than thee, O Mistress!

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

Having sanctified thyself with a perfect life, thou wast shown a priest of God Most High, and, strengthened by Him, thou didst shut the mouths of the heretics which were opened against the icon of Christ; and, persecuted, O father, thou didst finish thy course.

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

O pure Virgin Theotokos who knewest not wedlock, thou only intercessor and protection of the faithful: from misfortunes, tribulations and evil circumstances deliver all who place their trust in thee, O Maiden, and by thy divine supplications save thou our souls.

Stavrotheotokion

The most immaculate Mother, seeing Thee stretched out, dead, upon the Cross, O Christ, cried aloud: “O my Son Who art equally unoriginate with the Father and the Spirit, what is this ineffable dispensation whereby thou hast saved the creation of Thine own hands, O Compassionate One?”

Ode IV

Irmos: Thou didst come forth from the Virgin, neither a mediator nor an angel, but Thyself incarnate, O Lord, and hast saved me, the whole man; wherefore, I cry to thee: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Desiring crowns of glory, thou didst leave off pleasing the flesh, O most excellent initiate of the sacred mysteries; and thou didst offer thy whole life to God as a sacrifice of sweet savor.

Limping away from the main path, the iconoclasts fell into the pit of heresy, and are now shown to be aliens; but thou, O all-blessed one, by venerating the image of Christ, didst denounce them.

Thou hast richly received the reward for thy sufferings, O most honored and all-blessed Michael, dwelling now with the heavenly hosts and dancing with the angels.

Thy tongue was shown to be a pen of the Spirit, O all-glorious Michael, being instructed to record the dispensation in the flesh of the Almighty Word, O thou who art most praised.

Resplendent in the sacred and honorable vesture of thy priesthood, and adorned with confession, thou wast a sight for angels and men, O most honored one.

Theotokion: Set my life aright, O Theotokos, directing it by the precepts of the Word Who was incarnate of thee; and guide it toward the light, O Virgin Mother, Mary Bride of God.

Ode V

Irmos: O Christ my Savior, enlightenment of those who lie in darkness and salvation of the despairing: rising early unto Thee, O King of the world, may I be enlightened by Thy radiance, for I know none other God than Thee.

From thy youth didst thou offer thyself to the Word, O thou who hast been shown to be sacred; for as a divine offering thou wast adorned with active vision, and, having gathered in the fruit of wisdom, thou didst become a shepherd, O right pleasing Michael.

The Word of God dwelt abundantly within thee, O divinely wise and blessed one, and poured forth rivers of doctrines, drinking whereof we are gladdened, manifestly having thee as a merciful mediator between us and Christ Who fashioned us.

Perceiving thy radiance, O thou who art revealed by God, He Who hath adorned all things with divine power adorned thee with the myrrh of mystic sanctity; for thou wast shown to be a most wise priest of God.

Theotokion: He Who shone forth preëternally from the Father, yet deigned to become like unto us in all things, made His abode within thee, O most immaculate Mother of God, and was born of thee, being both man and God omnipotent.

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!

Arrayed in the salvific garment of divine gladness, O all-praised one, thou didst receive from God the crown of confession as is meet.

Having endured bitter imprisonment, O wise one, thou didst attain unto the broad expanse of paradise, where thou dost join chorus with the martyrs, O divine wise one who art most rich.

As a disciple of Christ God, O blessed and divinely inspired one, thou didst emulate His sufferings, valiantly accepting tribulations for the sake of His Church.

Theotokion: All the prophets, having learned noetically of thine ineffable birthgiving, O all-pure one, disposed themselves spiritually, foretelling unto all the things of the future.

Kontakion of the saint, in Tone VIII, Special Melody: “As first-fruits…”

As a most honorable hierarch and sacred sufferer for piety, undaunted by the threats of the vile one, thou didst vanquish his heretical opposition, crying aloud with a free voice: “I venerate the icon of Christ and His all-pure Mother!” Wherefore, we honor thee, O Michael.

Ode VII

Irmos: The command of the iniquitous tyrant, opposed to God, raised up a lofty flame; but Christ, Who is blessed and all-glorious, spread a spiritual dew upon the pious youths.

The abominable beast could not bear the divine sound of thy tongue, O sacred Michael, and condemned thee to banishment in a remote country; yet he was put to shame, beholding thy firmness, O sacred preacher.

The most sacred assembly of Christ is guided by thy teachings, O all-wise one; for thou wast an instrument sounded by the Spirit, O Michael, performer of the sacred mysteries, announcing the mighty works of the Almighty.

Wisely didst thou denounce the infamous adherents of the blasphemous impiety of Manes, openly preaching the veneration of the all-pure icon of Christ, the Mother of God and the saints, O venerable father Michael.

Theotokion: Thou wast the beautiful vessel of the incarnation of the Word of God, O most immaculate Virgin; for, as blessed and all-glorious, in His great loving-kindness He took me wholly upon Himself.

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!

Standing before the judgment-seat, O Michael preacher of God, thou wast not daunted by the threats of the iniquitous, but cried out with a voice unrestrained: “I honor the all-pure icon of Christ the Savior and all the saints!”

With steadfast mighty character, O wise one, thou didst contend with those who fight against God, and wast shown to be the victor, manifest as such in deed and word, for it was fitting to honor the all-pure icon of Christ the Savior and all the saints.

Knowing that the veneration shown to icons passeth to their Prototype, O father who wast manifest as sacred, following the divinely inspired Scriptures thou didst teach all to honor the icon of Christ and all the saints.

Theotokion: O pure one, thou pourest forth a stream of healings unceasingly upon us, the faithful; and, drawing forth the abundant grace thereof, we hymn thine all-pure birthgiving and exalt it supremely for all ages.

Ode IX

Irmos: God the Lord, the Son of the unoriginate Father, hath revealed Himself to us incarnate of the Virgin, to enlighten those in darkness and to gather the dispersed. Wherefore, we magnify the all-hymned Theotokos.

Shining now with boundless enlightenment, O thou who art most rich, as thou standest before the great Light, thou hast been vouchsafed to receive the end which thou didst desire, and hastening toward which thou didst run, living in piety, O right wondrous one.

Thou hast been counted worthy to behold the radiance which passeth understanding, O father, and which thou didst manifestly acquire on earth. Entreat Christ in mediation, that He deliver thy disciples who now praise and honor thee, O right wondrous one.

Strengthened by divine grace, with the effulgence of thy wisdom and the rays emitted thereby thou didst burn up the audacity of those who fought against God, O wise and wondrous Michael, sacred preacher of Christ, having acquired a wellspring of light within thyself.

Theotokion: Thy womb, like a fleece, having received the Rain of heaven, thou gavest birth for us to Him Who bestoweth immortality upon those who piously hymn Him and proclaim thee to be the most lauded Theotokos.