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Canon to St. Sergius of Radonezh



Canon to St. Sergius. 
In Tone VIII


ODE I
Irmos: The wonderworking staff of Moses, * striking and dividing the sea in the figure of a Cross, * once drowned Pharaoh the pursuing charioteer, * while it saved the fleeing people of Israel * as they marched on foot, * singing a song unto God.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

Emulating Christ who humbled Himself for our sakes, even taking the form of a servant, thou didst love humility and, mortifying the soul, destroyed the passions. By copious vigil and prayer, thou hast ascended the mountain of freedom from passion, O Sergius full of riches.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

Adorning thy soul with streams of tears as a lamp is adorned with light, thou hast offered up thyself as another Isaac, O Saint, and hast sacrificed thine heart unto God.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

O most blessed Sergius, who from thy mother's womb hast shown thyself by thy threefold cry to be a servant Trinitarion and who, illuminated by the light of the threefold Sun, dashed the armies of devils like unto one destroying a spider's web!

Theotokion: Thou hast given birth outside the laws of nature to the Giver of the law. He Who was both God and man. As He is good, do thou who art all undefiled entreat Him to look away from or iniquities as we for ever cry aloud: ‘Let us sing to the Lord for He hath greatly been glorified’

ODE III
Irmos: O Christ fortify me on the rock of Thy commandments, * Thou who in the beginning established the heavens with understanding * and established the earth upon the waters, * for there is none holy but Thou, O only lover of mankind.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

In thyself, as an example of good things to thy disciples, thou hast drawn to salvation many souls who, separated from worIdly passions, found their comfort in the joy of paradise.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

O blessed Saint, thou hast flowered like a fruitful olive-tree in the house of God, anointing with oil the souls of those who sing thy praises with love, O Sergius, and who cry aloud to Christ with faith: 'There is none holy save Thee, Who lovest mankind.'

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

O blessed Saint, by watchful vigils thou didst put to sleep the soul-corrupting passions: and therefore, O Divinely-wise Sergius, hast thou ascended to dwell in the heavenly chambers, having received the grace of healing.

Theotokion: O Theotokos , thou appearest higher the cherubim and seraphim, for Thou art undefiled, and thou alone hast received in thy womb the uncontainable God. Wherefore we the faithful bless thee, who art pure, in song.

ODE IV
Irmos: Thou, O Lord, art my strength and Thou art my power, * Thou art my God and Thou art my joy, * Thou who, while never leaving the bosom of Thy Father, visited our poverty. * Therefore with the Prophet Abakum I cry to Thee, * ‘Glory to Thy power, O Lover of mankind!’

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

O Father, thou art a temple of the all-holy Spirit, a river full of living waters, an unshaken foundation of the Church, the confirmation of those living the monastic life, wherefore O Father Sergius, thou art rightly called a wonderment.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

O glorious Sergius thou, as also did the Prophet David, anointed thy bed each day with streams of tears, until thou didst dry up completely the depth of passion; wherefore we reverence thine ever honored and holy memory.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

O Saint Sergius, it was vouchsafed unto thee to see Christ face to face, not 'through a glass darkly', but with the glass truly abolished; and this also parted thee from this world sending thee aloft to thy beloved Desire.

Theotokion: By the prayers of her that bore Thee, grant us O God, as Thou alone art without sin, the cleansing of our transgressions committed in ignorance and grant unto Thy world peace.

ODE V
Irmos: O Light that never sets, * why hast Thou rejected me from Thy presence, * and why has the alien darkness surrounded me, the coward that I am? * But do Thou I implore Thee direct my ways * and turn me back towards the light of Thy commandments.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

O wise Saint, thou didst dwell without wavering in acts of asceticism and up unto thine own departure these practices thou didst thus firmly adhere to, whereby incorruptible bliss hath plainly been vouchsafed unto thee.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

Possessed of a mind sharpened to listen to God, thou didst subdue the soul-destroying passions and reaped fruitful sheaves, feeding those who praise thee, O Sergius, Saint and Father.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

Bright has been thy life, O Saint Sergius, and known unto all the ends of the earth, filled with divine beauty, with prayer and fasting and love towards Christ Who loveth mankind.

Theotokion: Having thee as wall, and watched over by thy protection, we bless thee exulting in thy divine glory: For thou, O all-pure one, pourest forth gladness and rejoicing upon our souls.

ODE VI
Irmos: Cleanse me O Savior, * for my iniquities are many; * and bring me up, I beg Thee, from the depths of evils * for unto Thee have I cried * harken unto me, O God of my salvation.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

Pray the Deliverer without ceasing to grant the remission of sins unto those who celebrate thy holy memorial, O blessed Father, that they may receive the heavenly Kingdom, where the voices of those that keep festival make all men glad.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

Made strong in Christ, thou, O Sergius, hast torn to pieces with thy steadfast mind all the craftiness of the evil one as though it were a web and thou hast shown thyself, O Sergius, to the world as a most radiant light.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.
Shining with the divine light, and now living with the angels in heaven, do thou ever remember those who honor thy memorial with faith, O Saint Sergius of memory eternal.

Theotokion: In truth thou hast raised on high the fallen nature of man, for thou hast borne in thy womb without seed, O Mother of God, Him Who unchanged is the visible Son, the divine image of the Father and His equal.

Kontakion, In Tone VIII:

Smitten with the love of Christ thou, O Saint, * hast followed Him without looking back, * hating all the pleasures of the flesh * and shining like the sun upon the land of thy birth: * wherefore Christ hath enriched thee with the gift of working miracles. * Remember us who honor thy radiant memory that we may call to thee: * Rejoice! O Sergius thou Divinely-wise one.
Ikos:

Having heard the sound of the Gospel, thou didst set aside, O Father, all the wisdom of the flesh, and counted as dust wealth and glory, fighting against the passions as one without flesh, thou hast been vouchsafed the honor of standing with the choir of bodiless angels. Receiving the gift of understanding which thou dost grant to those who sing unto thee thusly: Rejoice! O Sergius, saint and bearer of God; thou heavenly man and earthly angel: Rejoice! thou dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit; Rejoice! thou who by prayer hast received a gift bestowed by God; Rejoice! For before thy birth, thou didst cry out glorifying the Holy Trinity Who glorified thee in this life and after death. Rejoice! Pillar of chastity by whom every passion hath been vanquished. Rejoice! For from thine early childhood thou didst follow Christ. Rejoice! Intercessor for the salvation of those that run to thee; Rejoice! pride of the land of thy birth. Rejoice! thou who adorned with prophecy foretold the future as though it were today. Rejoice! for by thy prayers the adversaries are conquered. Rejoice! pride and confirmation of truly believing people. Through thy prayers keep us unharmed by the enemy that we may cry to thee: Rejoice! O Sergius, Divinely-wise one.


ODE VII
Irmos: The fire in Babylon once stood in awe of God’s descent. * And so the Youths in the furnace, * dancing with joyful steps as in a meadow, * sang, ‘Blessed art Thou the God of our Fathers!’

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

In the furnace of flaming temptations divine grace bedewed thee, O Saint, and it showed thee to be full of light in thy desire for the Trinity, and crying aloud: Blessed art Thou, O God of our Fathers.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

O glorious Sergius, despising the world, thou didst live as an Angel on earth and thereby vouchsafed a place in the angelic choir. Wherefore we venerate thee with faith, O thou who art worthy to be called a wonderment.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

O Saint, wise in God, travelling unto the calm haven, thou didst shun the sea-wanderings of this world, being a saving pilot for those sailing the rough seas of this life and who cry aloud: blessed art Thou, O God of our Fathers.

Theotokion: O Virgin, a rod has sprung forth from the root of Jesse, an all-blessed Fruit, that bears a Flower of salvation for those who cry aloud with faith to thy Son: blessed art Thou, O God of our Fathers.

 ODE VIII
Irmos: In his wrath the Chaldean Tyrant made the furnace blaze, * with heat fanned sevenfold for the servants of God; * but when he perceived that they had been saved by a greater power * he cried aloud to the Creator and Deliverer, * ‘O ye Youths bless, O ye priests praise, * O ye people, highly exalt Him unto all the ages’.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

O most blessed Sergius, thy light bearing feast hath filled with joy and spiritual gladness, with fragrance and enlightenment, those who have thee as their defender and as their rule of monastics.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

Thou didst ascend upwards to God with unceasing prayer and from there enlightened by the radiance of the threefold sun, established a stronghold of struggle against the enemy. Thou didst lead companies of monks towards a new life, crying aloud to Christ: bless Him, O ye children, praise Him, O ye priests, O ye people exalt Him above all for ever.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

O Sergius, strong in fasting, never slothful in prayer, on earth thou didst shown patience in temptation, crying: bless Him, O ye children, praise Him O ye priests, O ye people exalt Him above all for ever.

Theotokion: O all-pure Mother of our God, cleanse the sinful sores and temptations of my soul steeping them in the waters that flow in copious streams from the side of thine Offspring: for I cry unto thee and take refuge in thee, and call upon thee, who art full of the grace of God.

ODE IX
Irmos: Heaven stood amazed and the ends of the earth astounded: * for God hath appeared to mankind in bodily form, * and thy womb hath become far wider than the heavens. * Wherefore, O Theotokos , * the ranks of Angels and of humans magnify thee.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

Thou, filled with the manifestation of spiritual radiance, hast appeared as a lamp lighting front afar, and shining the light of reason upon us, thou hast shown thyself to be the habitation of the most divine Trinity.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

Christ gave thee, wise Sergius, to the land of Russia, a great teacher indeed who directed the land of his birth in the right direction, pouring forth teachings sweeter than honey from which as from a vessel we faithful draw.

Refrain: O holy Father Sergius pray to God for us.

Having conquered the soul-destroying passions, thou, as a true shepherd, hast tended the reasonable flock of Christ, ever reading it with the grace of the Spirit as with flowers from paradise.
Theotokion: O thou who hast found favor, we sing thy praises in psalms and with voices that are never still we cry aloud: Thou hast poured forth joy for all.


Troparion, In Tone IV:
As a virtuous ascetic athlete, and true warrior of Christ our God * fighting fiercely the good fight against the passions during this earthly life, * laboring in song, vigil and fasting thou wast an example to thy disciples. * Wherefore, the Holy Spirit made His abode in thee * Whose activity adorned thee with radiant beauty: * Since thou hast great boldness towards the Holy Trinity * remember thy flock wisely gathered by thee * and forget not as thou didst promise to visit thy children, O holy Father Sergius.

Kontakion, In Tone VIII:

Smitten with the love of Christ thou, O Saint, * hast followed Him without looking back, * hating all the pleasures of the flesh * and shining like the sun upon the land of thy birth: * wherefore Christ hath enriched thee with the gift of working miracles. * Remember us who honor thy radiant memory that we may call to thee: * Rejoice! O Sergius thou Divinely-wise one.


CONVERSATION