Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 31st Day of the Month of May

Commemoration of the Holy Martyr Hermias

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone I, Special Melody: “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”

Having extinguished the fire of ungodliness with the drops of thy blood, O great martyr, thou hast richly given drink to the Church of Christ and illumined the hearts of the faithful who piously honor thy sacred and precious memory.

Like an impregnable tower thou wast in nowise shaken by the assaults of the enemy, whose hearts thou didst pierce as with arrows, O Hermias, casting down all their wiles like an insuperable rampart with the pain of thy valiant struggles.

Raising up with the word of God those who had stumbled into the abyss of unbelief, thou didst endure the great threefold billows of torments, O all-praised passion-bearer Hermias, until thou didst joyously enter with them into the harbor of heaven.

But if Alleluia is to be chanted at Matins instead of “God is the Lord…”, we sing first the following stichera of the Theotokos, in the same tone & melody

Plagued by falls into helplessness, O pure one, yet having thee alone as our intercessor, O Virgin, we cry aloud in thanksgiving: Cleanse us, O all-holy Bride of God, for thou art the refuge of the world and the help of our race!

With the staff of thine intercession, O pure Theotokos, do thou quickly drive away the bestial passions from my wretched soul, strengthening my life with peace; and number me among the holy flock of thy chosen sheep.

Drowning in the abyss of offenses, O Theotokos, I have fled to the calm haven of thine all-pure supplication, and I cry unto thee: Save me, extending thy mighty right hand unto thy servant, O all-immaculate one!

Glory…, Now and ever…

Having fallen headlong because of my corrupt character, I lie prostrate, yet I flee from the adverse storm to thy tranquility, O Virgin: deliver me from multifarious temptations, that I may unceasingly hymn thy grace, O Ever-virgin Mother of God.

Stavrotheotokion

When the immaculate Virgin beheld the Lamb uplifted upon the Cross, she cried aloud, weeping: “O my sweet Child, what is this new and all-glorious sight? How is it that Thou Who holdest all things in the palm of Thy hand art nailed in the flesh to the Tree?”

Troparion, in Tone IV

In his suffering, O Lord, Thy martyr Hermias received an imperishable crown from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, He set at nought the tormenters and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. By his supplications save Thou our souls.

At Matins

Canon of the martyr, the composition of Joseph,

in Tone VIII

Ode I

Irmos: Having traversed the water as though it were dry land, and escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!

Thou hast been known as a star shining with divine light, radiantly illumining with the splendor of martyrdom all who honor thee with pure faith, O Hermias.

With thy gaze fixed constantly upon God, disdaining all things in this life, O wise martyr, thou didst enter upon the struggles of martyrdom and didst mightily vanquish the enemy.

Comely of vision and soul, O martyr Hermias, thou didst enlist in the army of the King of heaven, and didst utterly cast down the enemy.

Thou didst not offer sacrifice to idols, O blessed one, and when thy teeth were pulled from their sockets, thou didst break the jaws of the noetic lions, arrayed in the never-fading wreath of victory.

Theotokion: O holy Virgin Mother of Christ, thou glory of the martyrs and joy of the angels, with them entreat thy Son, that He have pity and save thy servants.

Ode III

Irmos: Thou art the confirmation of those who have recourse to Thee, O Lord; Thou art the light of the benighted; and my spirit doth hymn Thee.

Through divinely radiant grace thou becamest the adornment of athletes, O martyr; wherefore, we who are in the world piously honor thee.

When thy jaw was broken, O wise martyr, thou didst chant praise in thanksgiving unto our God Who strengthened thee.

Strengthened by the power of the divine Spirit, O all-wise one, rejoicing, thou didst cast down the serpent who is mighty in evil.

Theotokion: With mouth and tongue do I confess thee to be the all-holy temple of God, O all-pure one; wherefore, deliver me from all affliction.

Sessional hymn, in Tone IV, Special Melody: “Having been lifted up…”

Having cast down the uprisings of the enemy, as a mighty warrior of the Master, thou hast received the crown of victory. Wherefore, we praise thee as a valiant athlete, celebrating thy most festive memory with faith. Thereon do thou pray, O much-suffering Hermias, that we be saved from all need.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

After God it is to thy divine protection that I, the lowly one, do flee, O Theotokos, and falling down, I pray: Have mercy, O all-pure one, for my sins have passed over my head, and I fear torments and tremble. O pure Mistress, make supplication to thy Son, that He deliver me therefrom.

Stavrotheotokion

She who in latter days gave birth to Thee, O Christ Who wast begotten of the unoriginate Father, beholding Thee hanging upon the Cross, cried out: “Woe is me, O most beloved Jesus! How is it that Thou Who art glorified as God by the angels art now crucified by iniquitous men? I hymn Thee, O my long-suffering Son!”

Ode IV

Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of Thy dispensation; I have understood Thy works, and have glorified Thy divinity.

The torrents of thy blood have extinguished the fire of polytheism and have been shown to be dew for the faithful, O right wondrous martyr and passion-bearer.

Bedewed by the grace of the Trinity, O most glorious martyr, thou didst remain unconsumed, standing in the midst of the fire for three days.

The choir of the heavenly hosts witnessed thy valor from on high and marvelled at the might of thy struggles, O athlete Hermias.

Theotokion: O all-hymned Mistress, in manner past recounting thou gavest birth to Him Who resteth in His saints; wherefore, we honor thee with hymns.

Ode V

Irmos: Wherefore hast Thou turned Thy face from me, O Light never-waning? And why hath a strange darkness covered me, wretch that I am? But turn me, and guide my steps to the light of Thy commandments, I pray.

Broken in body, O all-glorious martyr, by thy many tortures thou didst wreak destruction upon the graven images through grace. Wherefore, by divine grace thou healest the afflictions of soul of all the pious.

When thou wast given bitter potions to drink, O martyr, thou didst remain unharmed, calling him who administered them to thee unto the excellent Faith; and he was all-radiantly converted to the beauty of martyrdom by thy splendid wonder-working.

O blessed one, thou wast in nowise turned from the goodly stand of Him Who strengthened and made thee steadfast, and directed all thy struggles, that thou mightest be with Him, gazing upon Him in simplicity of character.

Theotokion: Of old, the prophet beheld thee in the Spirit, O Maiden, as a noetic lamp-stand holding Christ God like a lamp, illumining with ineffable light all of us who faithfully honor thee, O all-immaculate one.

Ode VI

Irmos: Cleanse me, O Savior, for many are my transgressions; and lead me up from the abyss of evils, I pray, for to Thee have I cried, and Thou hast hearkened to me, O God of my salvation.

Having thy desire wholly with God, O most blessed one, rejoicing, thou didst endure the pangs and lacerations of thy divine body as though it were someone else who was suffering, looking forward to thy crown.

Thou didst mightily endure the stripping away of thy sinews, O Hermias, martyr of Christ, ripping away the sinews of the greatly crafty enemy through grace, and showing thyself to be a model of all manliness.

Tempered in the fire of the love of Christ, thou truly becamest like unto a two-edged sword, manifestly cutting down the ungodly armies like a mighty warrior.

Theotokion: Thou feedest Him Who as God feedeth all with His hand, O most immaculate Mistress, and holdest in thine arms Him Who sustaineth all things; wherefore, we, the faithful, glorify thee as is meet.

Kontakion, in Tone VI, Special Melody: “Fulfilling Thy dispensation for us…”

Having struggled eagerly for Christ, thou didst acquire courage at an advanced age, O martyr Hermias; and having trampled the machinations of the iniquitous underfoot by the power of Christ, thou didst remain unharmed by sorcerous potions, crying: “God is with me! Who then can stand against me?”

Ode VII

Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the youths who had come forth from Judæa trod down the flame of the furnace with their faith in the Trinity, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Looking toward God Who is able to save, with uprightness of mind thou didst endure the pangs of thy valiant body, O Hermias, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

With the sprinkling of thy blood thou didst extinguish the fire of ungodliness, and, entering the flame, thou wast in nowise consumed, O thou who art most rich, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

The whole Church calleth thee blessed, beholding thy valiant deeds and the grace of thy miracles, O wise martyr Hermias, and trophies of victory which the Lord gave thee when thou didst struggle splendidly.

Theotokion: Thou wast adorned with beauty, O Virgin, having given birth to the comely Christ Who assumed our form and hath led unto life all those who have been broken down. Wherefore, with faith we ever glorify thee in hymns.

Ode VIII

Irmos: Becoming vanquishers of the tyrant and the flame by Thy grace, taking exceeding care to keep Thy commandments, the children cried out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Strengthened by the true law, O athlete Hermias, rejoicing, thou didst hold the edict of the iniquitous in contempt; and, enduring great struggles, O blessed one, thou didst receive the habitations in the highest forever.

“I am not daunted by the pangs decreed by any temporal statute, neither will I offer worship unto those things which are not gods!” thou didst cry aloud, O most blessed one; “I will only worship the Lord Jesus Who was crucified under Pontius Pilate!”

Like an innocent lamb thou didst go forth to be slaughtered for Him Who like a lamb was slain for our sake and hath removed from the earth all abominable sacrifices, O martyr Hermias; wherefore, in laudation we hymn thee as is meet.

Theotokion: Thou hast been shown to be more spacious than the heavens, O thou who contained God within thy womb. Him do thou earnestly entreat, O Virgin, that He deliver me from the sin which besetteth me, that, having accomplished deeds of piety, I may bless thee with faith.

Ode IX

Irmos: Heaven was stricken with awe, and the ends of the earth were amazed, that God hath appeared in the flesh, and that thy womb became more spacious than the heavens. Wherefore, the ranks of men and angels magnify thee as the Theotokos.

Having departed from thy flesh, O all-lauded athlete, thou hast been vouchsafed to behold the good things which God prepared for thee, and for those who suffered with thee and cast down the evil one. With them do thou now beseech the Lord, that we be saved, O right laudable martyr Hermias.

Thy comely visage was shown to be yet more comely before thy suffering, O wise and glorious one, and after thy wondrous struggles was shown to be adorned with angelic splendor. Wherefore, thou hast hastened to the beautiful bridal-chambers, adorned with wreaths of victory.

Thou didst spurn an earthly army and didst enlist in the army of the King of heaven, O wise martyr. By His mighty power thou hast mightily destroyed all the hordes of the demons, and hast been lawfully crowned with wreaths of victory. Pray thou ever in our behalf.

The radiant day of thy memorial hath dawned, illumining our thoughts with the beams of thy steadfast struggles. And thereon do we beseech thee: As thou hast boldness before Christ, entreat Him unceasingly, that we may obtain mercy on the day of judgment.

Theotokion: God Who clothed Himself in me issued forth from thee and hath arrayed in the vesture of incorruption me who stripped myself naked of divine raiment, O Mistress Theotokos, thou refuge of all men, confirmation and rampart of the crowned martyrs, and joy of the angels.