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THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Commemoration of the New Martyrs Under The Moslem Yoke For Lord, I have cried, we chant 7 stichera for the Resurrection, and the following 3 for the New Martyrs. First Tone. O strange and most awesome wonder O strange and most awesome wonder! * In these latter times * these great martyrs have shone forth * and they have driven out errors darkness and great gloom; * the Faith of the Christians is * exalted now and fallen is all impiety. * The faithful all now rejoice * and strike up a universal, bright festival * crying: O Almighty one, Thou * art the boast and the reward * and the victry of all the * martyrs who are newly manifest. Strange are all Thy wonders, O Christ God! * which Thou hast shown now as * doth regard Thy heritance! * The race also that is weak, is seen to triumph now, * as written, over the great * powers of darkness and leaders of all the strong; * the athletes newly-appeared * are set together with the ancient martyrs now * in the most steadfast confession * of the holy Faith of Christ, * also in diverse torments * and in signs and awesome miracles. The orders of the angels and the hosts * of the saints, as well as * all the martyr-loving ranks * do honour your holy bonds, O blessed martyrs of Christ. * And Christ God is glorified * and the defenders of error are put to shame; * the Trinity welcometh * unto Himself the renowned, sacred martyrs now, * and adorneth them with crowns and * numbreth them together with * all of the ancient martyrs, * and doth glorify the ends of the world. Glory. Plagal of Fourth Tone. The divine new martyrs of Christ have dawned forth for us like spiritual luminaries, unerringly guiding us on the straight paths of His commandments. For enlightened by the light of their true repentance, their exact observance of the divine laws, and their surpassing love for Christ, we receive divine grace within ourselves and great mercy from God for our souls. Both Now. Theotokion of the Octoechos. For the Entreaty. First Tone. Rejoice, with rejoicing in the Lord, O orthodox Church. Be glad and dance, thou chosen Bride of Christ. Like a mother that loveth her children, thou dost hold in thine arms thy two most beloved offspring, thine ancient and new martyrs. Wherefore, with the words of the prophet, cry out unto Christ thy Bridegroom: Behold, I and the children which Thou hast given me, O Lord, which I have borne spiritually by Thy grace and have nourished with the milk of piety, and have shown forth as perfect martyrs for Thy Name. Wherefore, receive Thou their blood as a pleasing sacrifice, and be gracious unto me, and preserve me from all heresy, for Thou hast purchased me with Thine own blood. Second Tone. United by your love for Christ, O right victorious new martyrs, and having Him dwelling within yourselves by faith, ye contested with the strength of Christ, and Christ, as the Head of the members, was in you and contested through you, esteeming your sufferings and death as His own; for ye filled up the lack of His sufferings. Hence, your relics cast out demons, and are become the healing of all manner of illness, since by your identity with the Passion of Christ, they too are become precious. Worshipping them with faith, we pray you to intercede unceasingly in behalf of our souls.
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Third Tone. If there be any acclaim and praise, if there by any manner or art or mode of laudation, most justly is it befitting unto you, O most steadfast new martyrs; for though groaning under the yoke of enslavement, ye did prove to be free in your Faith; and for the sake of Christ and orthodox worship, ye endured many torments in diverse times and lands. The one by the sword, the other by the hangmans noose, the one by fire and the other by other means, ye all received a blessed end. And now in the Heavens ye dance for joy with the ancient martyrs, and together with them ye intercede in behalf of our souls. Fourth Tone. As it is written, ye are become kings and priests of God, by your steadfast contest, O sacred new martyrs. Ye became kings in that ye held sway over the passions of the flesh, the world and the ruler of the world. Ye became priests in that ye offered yourselves as sacred victims and pure sacrifices unto God. And now, as ye stand before Christ the King and High Priest in the Heavens, intercede ye in behalf of our souls. Glory. Plagal of Fourth Tone. In the Heavens, the multitudes of the blessed have as it were an addition to their joy your immaterial spirits, O ye new martyrs of great contests. And here on earth we, the bondsmen of the flesh, who possess your material relics, are filled with spiritual joy as ones who receive therefrom sanctification of soul and body, and healing from sufferings. And with gratitude we cry unto Christ: Glory be to Thee, O Lord, Who even in this our captive generation hast shown forth new martyrs unto the establishment of the Faith, unto consolation in our captivity and unto the salvation of our souls. Both Now. Theotokion. Lady, do thou receive the supplications of thy slaves and deliver us from every affliction and necessity. For the Aposticha, we chant the following stichera. Plagal of First Tone. Rejoice. Rejoice, host of new-martyrs of Christ, * and most manly battle array of the living God, * that hath cast down boldly all of the Hagarenes most vile error, * and that hath exalted the pure Faith of Christ. * Ye blossoms that all breathe forth * fragrance sweet and ineffable; * O ye new comets * which illumined the firmament * of the Church of God * and have made heavenly the earth. * O ye most living light breezes, refreshing all faithful men * who every hour do faint under the great yoke of captivity. * Beseech Christ the Saviour * that His peace and His great mercy be granted to our souls. Verse: Wondrous is God in His saints. Rejoice, host of new-martyrs of Christ, * newly built battlements about Christ Gods holy Church, * ye spheres of all gifts of graces, O ye first-fruits of our race; * O ye newly harvested, fresh grains of wheat * who are offered unto God, * Master of nature and its Lord. * O ye delightful * sacrifices, pleasing to God, * emulators of * all the sufferings of Christ God. * O newly fallen showers, who by your own blood have submerged * the grievous error of Hagar; and ye have given to drink unto * Gods Faith which was withered. * Hence, entreat Him that He grant His great mercy to our souls. Verse: In the saints that are in His earth hath the Lord been wondrous.

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Rejoice, host of new-martyrs of Christ, * adornment and glory and joy of all faithful men; * ye wondrous examples and models for deniers of Christ; * O new army of the Ruler of all things; * thou bright, newly-chosen choir. * O ye lambs newly slaughtered and * chosen out of the * years of grievous captivity; * O ye guardians * and great champions of the Faith * and unshamed intercessors, living pillars of patience and * stead fast endurance, who in these last times endured torments and harsh stripes. * Beseech Christ the Saviour * that His peace and His great mercy be granted to our souls. Glory. Fourth Tone. On this day, in the midst of the winter of tyrannic captivity, there hath shown forth throughout the world a spiritual springtime, announced not by one swallow alone, but by a myriad of new martyrs. Come, therefore, ye lovers of feasts, let us enter into the account of their martyrdoms as it were a meadow of great diversity, and let us thereby nourish the senses of our soul. There even now as the buds begin to open, we shall see the blossoms of diverse kinds, varied in aspect, fragrant of smell, not withered by the passage of time, and all dyed red in the hue of blood. Wherefore, let us cry unto Christ: O Lord, Who didst newly plant and nurture them, by their intercessions count us worthy of the eternal springtime of Thy Kingdom, since Thou art the Friend of man. Both Now. Theotokion. Same Tone. Incline to the entreaty of thy suppliants, O all-blameless one. And make to cease the griefs that come upon us, and free us from every affliction; for thee alone do we have as a secure and sure anchor, and we have thy protection. Let us not be put to shame, O Lady, as we call upon thee. Hasten at the entreaty of those who faithfully cry to thee: Rejoice, O Lady, thou help of all, thou joy and shelter and salvation of our souls. Dismissal Hymn. Third Tone. A great champion. O new martyrs who * have overturned all * ancient error and * who have exalted * the orthodox Faith and contested most steadfastly, * ye have reproached the belief of the lawless ones, * and with great boldness ye proclaimed Christ, as perfect God. * And henceforth, ye intercede now in our behalf * that His peace and great mercy be granted to us. Both now. Theotokion. And the Dismissal ********************************

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IN MATINS After the usual Reading from the Psalter and the Sessional Hymns from the Octoechos and the rest of the order for the Resurrection Matins, the following Canon is said. The Canon of the New Martyrs FIRST ODE. Pl. of 4th Tone. The charioteer of Pharaoh. O Trinity and Unity, and three-sun Unity, enlighten my darkened mind with knowledge and make clear my defiled and artless tongue, so that I may worthily sing of Thy sacred New Martyrs according to way of life and by name. Joyously I praise Angelis the glorious and sweet-singing, and I sing of Athanasius of Attalia, who was sacrificed in the Name of the Almighty; and I honour another Athanasius of the same land as he, together with Anastasius the Bulgarian. Let Athanasius the glorious adornment of Nicea be honoured, as well as Alexander and the divine Athanasius, those scions of Thessalonica, and the glorious Anastasius, the boast of Nauplius and Akhmet of Kalpha. Theotokion. Since thou art the source and fulness of all gifts, having received this from the Trinity, O pure one, thou bestowest it upon all, O immaculate one, whereby the all-lauded Aquilina and the most wondrous Argyre Steadfastly contested in thy love unto blood. THIRD ODE. Of the vault of the Heavens. Anastasius the divine priest is sung of in praise, as well as Anthony, the boast of Athens, and Anastasius of Ancyra is honoured, and Auxentius the divine offspring of Bella. I acclaim Gabriel, the glorious prelate of Byzantium, together with Gabriel of Serbia, and another Gabriel, the righteous martyr, together with George, and with them George, the scion of Philadelphia. I acclaim also another George the Cypriote, and with wisdom I laud the divine George, and with hymns I praise the renowned George, who contested lawfully in Magnesia. Theotokion. Thou wast seen to be a comely Bride of God the Father, O immaculate one; and the Mother of the Son, and the daughter of the Spirit, an abode of the Trinity, the origin of light, a living temple of the whole Godhead. Sessional Hymn. Pl. of 4th Tone. Having conceived the Wisdom. Your divine reliquaries are seen to be * wondrous places of healing, O holy ones; * a manifest and living proof * of our upright and holy Faith; * and world-enriching treasures of miracles of all kinds, * and purple tablets of the Spirit that never do corrupt; * vessels of sweetsmelling * fragrances of the Heavens * that overcome cinnamon, * myrrh and spikenard, calamus, * and all fragrances of the earth. * Intercede with Christ our God * that forgiveness of all offences be * granted to them that with longing * honour you, New Martyrs of the Lord. Glory; both now. Theotokion. Davids sun-likened chariot art thou, Maid, * and the porphyry couch of great Solomon, * Esaiass book traced by God, * and blest Mosess living tent, * holy Amos wall of divinelywrought adamant, * and the gold covered lamp of the holy seer Zachary, * Daniels lofty mountain, and the saffron-dyed tablet * of Gods servant Abbacum, * and the prophets far-famed
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report * art thou truly, O Bride of God. * Intercede with Christ God, thy Son, * that forgiveness of all failings be bestowed * on them that faithfully worship * thine all-holy Child, O Maid. FOURTH ODE. Thou art my strength. Damascene the priest contested rejoicing; and like a new rose Demetrius, the comeliness of Philadelphia, I say, and together with him Demetrius the turner, and Demus of Smyrna, who gloriously bare witness and performed many miracles. Damascene and Damian the righteous ones were deemed worthy of crowns together with Dionysius the athlete; and Ducas of Lesbos, who contested, is glorified with Demetrius the athlete of Byzantium, who received the prizes of victory. With hymns I honour Zacharias, the chief shepherd of Corinth, and Zorze the Iberian, who contested in Lesbos, and with him, another Zacharias, who blossomed forth from Arta; and together with them I acclaim Elias Ardunis, those renowned New Martyrs of Christ. Theodore, the new and august scion of Byzantium was seen to be a steadfast and unbending cedar against the contrary winds of the torments, and together with him another Theodore of Lesbos, as well as Theophanes, the boast of monastics and Theophilus the guardian of Chios. Theotokion. Thy Son is become the New Adam in the stead of the old, and thou, O immaculate Mother, in the stead of Eve; and the Cross, in the stead of the tree of knowledge, and Gabriel, in the stead of the serpent; instead of Eden, the vault of Heaven; joy instead of sorrow. O, what a counterpart and rejoicing of Good things! FIFTH ODE. Wherefore hast thou deprived me. Every tongue acclaimeth the divine righteous martyr James and his initiate, and another James the deacon; and also Jordan, the boast of Trapezon, yea, these who by contests have glorified Christ. Who should not praise the divine John, the comely scion of Ioannina? and another John, the glorious adornment of Sostabia? and after them and with them the glorious John Koulikas? Let John the carpenter, the boast of Byzantium, be praised with songs; and let John the mender, the offspring of Thasos be lauded by me, and let John, the august scion of Dacia be acclaimed, even those three namesakes of grace. Theotokion. Thou art seen to be the center-point of gifts of grace and a sphere of many stars, O graced of God; and the cycle of the zodiac, through which there hath passed the Sun of righteousness and fulfilled the whole period of the awesome dispensation. SIXTH ODE. Entreaty. John the skipper was truly worthy of a myriad of songs of praise; and the stead fast John the youth was shown forth as another Maccabee by grace; and together with them, John the boast of Bulgaria is spoken of. The righteous Joasaph contested and Joseph, who was of Syria, excelled together with him; and the God-inspired preacher of grace, I say, even the glorious Cosmas, is made comely with a double crown.

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Praise is meet for the virgin Kyranna, the pillar of virginity, and for the righteous and glorious Cyprian, who passed through a twofold martyrdom; and every praise is due unto the sacred Constantine the Russian. Theotokion. A divinely-carved image and an icon of the divine archetype, and an inexhaustible treasury of the divine Effulgence art thou, O all-immaculate Bride of God, thou object designed by the Creator of all before the ages. Kontakion. First Tone. Rejoice mystically, O Church of Christ, beholding thy sons, even the New Martyrs, standing round about thy table and sanctuary in the dust of their relics as newly planted olive trees, and cry out unto the Creator: Thou, O Christ, art the Steadfastness of the martyrs. The Oikos. Always and in all things it is our duty, O brethren, to sing the praises of and marvel at the unfathomable judgments of our man-befriending Gods providence for us, and no less even during this the tyrannical captivity of many years of our race. For this also, besides many other things, is become the cause of spiritual good things for us who are tyrannized over, and especially by it and from it there hath blossomed forth a worthy fruit, this glorious and heavenly storehouse, beloved of Christ, I say, even the newly-appeared martyrs, who are now set before us for acclamation. For these stouthearted ones, shielded with the breastplate of the power of Christ, accounted all the delightful things of life as rubbish; and in no wise sparing the flesh, they entered the stadium of contest, triumphing, on the one hand, over the impiety of the Hagarenes, and proclaiming aloud, on the other hand, the Faith of Christ, in behalf of which they courageously endured diverse and many kinds of torments to the end and were crowned with the crown of martyrdom, crying out unto the Giver of the crowns: Thou, O Christ, art the Steadfastness of the martyrs. Synaxarion On the third Sunday of Matthew, we celebrate the memory of all the newly-appeared Martyrs of Christ, who were martyred after the fall of Constantinople. Verses The new athletes destroyed the old Hag Hagar, And now they are together with the athletes of old. The multitude of new athletes hath entered the city of God. Seeing the courage of the Martyrs of Jesus, The Agas are aghast, and the Cadi quaketh. He Who hath Heaven as throne and earth as footstool Put the Ottomans under your feet, O Martyrs. By their holy intercessions, O Christ our God, have mercy and save us. Amen. SEVENTH ODE. Once, from out of Judea. With odes and hymns I praise Macarius the righteous martyr, and Macarius of Kios, and Mark of Crete, and with him, Myron, the radiant and manifest boast of the same island. With praises let us sing of Manuel of Crete, and with him, Michael, the scion of Athens, and again Michael, who was from Granintza, who radiantly spake divine things concerning the Trinity.
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Michael, the white-hued swan of Bryae is joyously acclaimed, and Nicetas of Nysiros, as well as Nicodemus, the righteous among martyrs, who struggled in the Monastery of Meteora. Theotokion. Thou art wholly beautiful, wholly sweet and insatiable delight, O Theotokos Mary. Therefore, deem me, thy wretched suppliant, ever worthy to delight in the divine vision of thy comeliness. EIGHTH ODE. The Chaldean tyrant. Who would not offer praise unto Nicodemus the martyr and righteous man, who carried a staff in his hand? and unto the courageous Nicholas, the divine offspring of Cappadocia, who contested in Smyrna? and to another Nicholas, who had his origin in the village of Metsovo? Let Nicholas, the scion of Carpenisium, be acclaimed, who contested excellently in Byzantium; and with him, let Nicholas, the son of Byzantium, be justly magnified with odes of song, as well as Nicholas, the great boast of Chios, who also blossomed forth therefrom and contested thereon. I magnify Parthenius of Constantinople, that most comely branch of Mytilene; and with him I honour with sacred songs Paul, the freeman of Russia; and I acclaim the righteous Pachomius as well. And together with him I hymn the divine Panagiotes of Caesarea. Theotokion. Thou who gavest birth unto the First Light, Who established the angels as second lights and Who fashioned the first-born light; and Who straightway brought forth the two luminaries, [*epi pa sin de psykhen os phos ousiosan,*] and showed forth His own commands as light, enlighten thou the darkness of my mind, O Theotokos. NINTH ODE. The Heavens were astonished. Like a star the resplendent Polydorus, who was from Cyprus, shineth upon the new martyrs, and Romanus the righteous martyr adorneth the newly chosen choir of the athletes of the Lord, and Romanus the priest and martyr received a double crown from the Almighty God. The most steadfast Sabbas rejoiceth together with the new martyrs of Christ, as well as Nigdelius and Seraphim, the High Priest of Phanurion, and with them Symeon of Trapezond maketh glad; and with them all, the divine Stamatius, who was from Volos, doth ever join in choir. Triantaphyllus the sailor made the number of the new martyrs to increase, and Christos, the boast of Albania, was shown forth by Christ to be an useful gardener of Paradise, as well as Christodulus the new, who was truly a servant of Christ, and Chryse the virgin and adornment of Bulgaria. O newly chosen choir of athletes, heavenly chain composed of gold, sacred crown, woven of many diverse blossoms, accept this hymn, and as ye gather together fraternally all the others, whose names are not known, ever offer up intercession unto Christ in our behalf. Theotokion. Receive thou all the sacred new martyrs of thy Son, O Virgin, who are contained herein by name, and if there be any others in other places whose names are known or unknown; and together with them intercede thou that we be rescued from fire and attain unto divine glory. Exapostilarion. Second Tone.
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Having received Baptism through water aforetime, ye became one with the death of the Lord; but now again ye are baptized with Baptism through blood courageously, O divine new martyrs, in very deed made like unto Him by means of death. Therefore, ye have also been deemed worthy of immortal glory. Another. Same Tone With hymns let us acclaim the newly chosen choir, most courageous host of the new martyrs of the Lord, O thou assembly of martyr-lovers, crying out unto them to rescue us from every necessity and harm of the man-slaying Belial. Theotokion. O Mary, thou gold-entwined bridal chamber of the Divinity, thou majesty of the race of mortals, who hast adorned the world, do thou adorn the disorder of my soul, which with faith and longing hath adorned thee with most comely hymns of praise, O Virgin. For the Praises we allow for 4 verses and chant the following stichera. Second Tone. When from the Tree. Come, O thou beehive of Christ the Lord, * come forth, all ye who love the martyrs, and let us celebrate * now the common festival of the New Martyrs of Christ; * for these blest ones have been shown forth * in these latter times as * the foundation and the glory of our sacred Faith; * and our races most fervent guardians, * and the healers of all the ailing * and the comforters of all those in distress. Come forth, all ye the angelic hosts, * come, all ye the choirs of the bodiless, celebrate with us, * join us in sending the New Martyrs now in advance * from the earth unto Heavens heights; * for though all these blest ones * bare about a mortal body like ones bodiless, * they contested and by deed showed forth * that the separation between the * angels and the martyrs is their names alone. Come, O multitude of martyrs now, * come, and thus proceeding forth from the firmament bring ye forth, * each and every one of you another martyr now, * who doth bear the same name as you, * ye ancient, the young ones, * who did emulate you all and thus receive ye them * into your divine habitations, * that ye may rejoice all together * in ineffable glory and radiance. O worshipful Trinity, receive, * O Thou Word and God-man, receive Thou now the new martyrs, O Lord, * who are offered Thee by the race in captivity, * as a most perfect sacrifice, * like most fragrant roses, * like incense sending forth their aroma and sweet-smell, * and like myrrh most precious and costly, * and grant in return our delivrance * and forgiveness of offences and all sins. Glory. Plagal of First Tone. O new battle array of Christ God which Jacob foretold! O newly-enlisted and three-fold choir comprised of hieromartyrs, righteous martyrs and martyrs! Who can worthily acclaim your struggles in contest? For in diverse times and from diverse lands, ye all prevailed mightily against the ungodliness of the Hagarenes, and for the sake of the one true reverence for God, ye endured varied torments. Ye became the occasion of pleasure and wonderment to the faithful, and a cause of grief and amazement unto the impious. of a truth, with your blood ye honoured the Blood of Christ, and by your passion ye exalted His Passion. Ye are more brilliant than the snow, ye are more rich than milk, and your constitution is of greater strength than sapphire! And now in, the Heavens, as ones united one with another, intercede ye unceasingly in behalf of our souls.
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Both Now. Theotokion. Most blessed art thou. . . Great Doxology and Dismissal. Megalynarion Who are these we see all arrayed in white? * These are Christs new martyrs * who were slain by the Hagarenes; * for Gods new confessors * were steadfast in their torments, * and thus went forth to glory and everlasting life.

2001 Holy Transfiguration Monastery