St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrh-streamer (source)
Please note that the meter of this translation is not set to match the original music.
Akathist to St. Demetrios the Great
Martyr and Myrrh-streamer
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth
Tone
O faithful, let us praise with hymns and divine praises the
Myrrhstreamer, who deposed the cruelty
of the tyrant, and conquered the audacity of Lyaios, and preached
Christ as God clearly, and let us cry out to him: Rejoice, O Martyr
Demetrios.
Angels were astonished in heaven,
beholding the godless rage of the tyrant (3), and as you were put to
death by his decree, O Demetrios, we cry out to you thus:
Rejoice, the sacred pinnacle of
martyrs,
Rejoice, the joyous radiance of Saints.
Rejoice, for you were placed in a pit
as one condemned,
Rejoice, for you ascended to Heaven as
one without a body.
Rejoice, dweller in the ranks of the
Angels,
Rejoice you who bore the tortures of
the tyrant.
Rejoice, for you despised the wiles of
the enemies,
Rejoice, for your soul now dwells in
Heaven.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
The divine Nestor, beholding himself in
manliness, approached the king with boldness:
“Your exceeding danger appears as an abomination to my soul.
For I will put to death the godless Lyaios, crying out: Alleluia.
Having godly knowledge, O Demetrios the
boast of martyrs, you said to the tyrant: “From soulless matter
[i.e. idols], how is possible to give birth to God? Speak to me.”
To [the Martyr], the faithful who honor God cry out with fear:
Rejoice, the most-radiant lamp of
Thessaloniki,
Rejoice, for you overcame Lyaios in
victory.
Rejoice, you who pours forth divine
myrrh from your grave,
Rejoice, you who bears divine zeal in
your heart.
Rejoice, for your blood was a purifying
bath,
Rejoice, for through you there is
blotting out of sins.
Rejoice, you who deposed the delusion
of the idols,
Rejoice, you who censured the mania of
tyrants.
Rejoice, for you healed the passion of
hemorrhage,
Rejoice, you who offered your soul from
its depths.
Rejoice, for you delivered Marinon from
leprosy,
Rejoice, for your
beloved Istron you sent.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
Power from heaven then strengthened
Nestor to fight, and he took up arms against the utterly strong
Lyaios, and with swift hand, he struck him down as dead, and
therefore cried out to the Savior, chanting: Alleluia.
Having the divine desire to obtain the
body of Demetrios, the pious Emperor [Justinian] went., but as [St.
Demetrios] did not desire this, fire came forth from his grave
threatening death. And he said to him such words in fear:
Rejoice, the unemptying river of
wonders,
Rejoice, the
irrevocable icon of traumas.
Rejoice, for you did not offer your
Relic to him who sought it,
Rejoice, for you grant sanctification
to those who venerate you.
Rejoice, for you summoned fire from
your divine grave,
Rejoice, for you censured the mania of
the tyrant.
Rejoice, for you deposed the worship of
the idols,
Rejoice, for your body was pierced with
spears.
Rejoice, for your blood was given as
drink to the godless,
Rejoice, for you sanctified the whole
world with your body.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
Having godless confusion and evil
thoughts, the senseless king was enraged, beholding the Martyr not
preaching the delusion of the idols. We, beholding the unjust
slaughter of the Saint at his hands, cry out: Alleluia.
St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrhstreamer (source)
The ends of the world heard of the
murder of Demetrios at the hands of the senseless tyrant, and
beholding him dead, they hastened to him, seeing the sacred wonders
that he pours forth throughout the whole world, as they honor him,
saying:
Rejoice, he who traded the corruptible
things for the heavenly,
Rejoice he who deposed the counsels
of the evil ones.
Rejoice, you who joined chorus with the
bodiless Angels,
Rejoice, you who entered the land of
the greatly-suffering Saints.
Rejoice, you who serve together with
the spotless Cherubim,
Rejoice, you who walk together with the
pure Seraphim.
Rejoice, for you served the Lord of
lords,
Rejoice, for you bore within the seat
of divine thrones.
Rejoice, the most-fervent fellow
servant with the Angels,
Rejoice, the most-wise fellow counselor
with the Archangels.
Rejoice, the sacred adornment of the
Venerable,
Rejoice, the radiant rejoicing of the
Martyrs.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
Perceiving Demetrios to be a
God-bearer, the most fervent man hastened to be delivered through him
from the terrible demon. And having touched his deliverance, he
rejoiced in the Lord, crying out: Alleluia.
Leontios, the son
of the Orthodox, formerly saw the unspeakable might of the Martyr,
and desiring to come to him, he sought for Istron to hasten to pass
by him with his robe, and cried out to him:
Rejoice, he who through his robe worked
awesome wonders,
Rejoice, he who
did not bear stains of offenses.
Rejoice, for your streams have become
our own.
Rejoice, for you drove back the
campaigns of barbarians,
Rejoice, for you dwell in the thrones
of the Martyrs.
Rejoice, you who drove away the plague
from Thessaloniki,
Rejoice, our sun which shines upon the
faithful.
Rejoice, he who delivered from
idol-mania,
Rejoice, he who delivers all from the
bonds of slavery.
Rejoice, he who grants grace to all
those who approach him,
Rejoice for you ever dwell with those
who praise you.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
The deluded became preachers of
corruption of souls, as they hastened through Thessaloniki,
performing idolatry and preaching atheism everywhere, as the Martyr
left the tyrant like a mule, as he said: Alleluia.
The divine Nestor, shining together
with the sacred Demetrios, drove away the darkness of error, for they
anathematized the idols steadfastly, and cast them down, while the
faithful who were saved cries out to those strugglers:
Rejoice, O Demetrios, the firm support,
Rejoice, O
Nestor, the splendid pride.
Rejoice, you who granted strength to
Nestor,
Rejoice, you who granted corruption to
Lyaios.
Rejoice, you who firstly censured the
blind tyrant,
Rejoice, you who secondly kept [St. Demetrios'] example.
Rejoice, he who received death by
spears,
Rejoice, he who received incorruptible
life through the sword.
Rejoice, he who was murdered in prison
like a convict,
Rejoice, he who was preached throughout
the world as one immortal.
Rejoice, he who before death worked
awesome deeds,
Rejoice, he who after death works
wonders.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
The holy dyad of Martyrs then passed on
from this world, as the sacred Martyrs had greatly endured lawless
murder. Therefore, those who behold this are astonished, and cry out
to the Lord: Alleluia.
St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrh-streamer (source)
A new song was found, as we bitterly
sing the funeral hymn to Demetrios, for he was slaughtered by a
godless tyrant, and did not sacrifice to the idols. We therefore hymn
him and fervently cry out:
Rejoice, you who were placed dead in a
grave,
Rejoice, you who ride throughout the
world as one alive.
Rejoice, for your blood was shown to be
a new cleansing bath,
Rejoice, for your soul is mixing with
the Angels.
Rejoice, for you are hymned from the
ends of the earth,
Rejoice for they draw forth from your
fragrant myrrh.
Rejoice, lamp amidst the Martyrs,
Rejoice, ray of godly graces.
Rejoice, you who were dyed with your
holy blood,
Rejoice, you who were sanctified in
your divine body.
Rejoice, you who received diamond
crowns,
Rejoice, for you now dwell in the halls
of the ever-memorable.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
Beholding a strange wonder, the idols
were moved by the bravery of the martyrs. Therefore, he who now
dwells on high gives bravery to those who dwell on the earth to take
courage, and aim their arrows at the idols. To him we now cry out:
Alleluia.
Having his mind wholly on things above
without departing from earth, was the most-pure Martyr, for he
clearly conquered the delusion of the idols, and preached Christ with
boldness, hearing thus:
Rejoice, for you were killed on behalf
of Christ your God,
Rejoice, for you desired the joyous
things of Paradise.
Rejoice, for you traveled the upper
road to Heaven,
Rejoice, for you inhabit the
dwelling-places of the pure.
Rejoice, for you now travel with the
Angels,
Rejoice, for you have come to dwell
with the Saints.
Rejoice, for you preached your Christ
like a holy trumpet,
Rejoice, for you dwell in the spotless
mansions of Paradise.
Rejoice, you who put forth myrrh from
your godly body,
Rejoice, you who
scoffed and the rubbish of the godless,
Rejoice, for you
broke asunder the intrigues of rulers,
Rejoice, for you trampled upon the
delusion of the idols.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
You received every grace from heaven, O
Martyr Demetrios, and preached paradoxically that the inaccessible
God became man, being the Son of God. Therefore, to Him let us cry:
Alleluia.
O Martyr Demetrios, you showed the many
words of the orators of the tyrants to be foolish, for they were
astonished at how you strongly condemned the delusion of the idols.
We, being astonished at this paradox, cry out to you:
Rejoice, the rose of virginity,
Rejoice, the pinnacle of continence.
Rejoice, you who lived purely before
you were killed,
Rejoice, you who after you were killed
were led towards God.
Rejoice, in whom the light of God was
planted,
Rejoice, in whom the grace of the
Trinity made its dwelling.
Rejoice, the length and breadth of the
pious,
Rejoice, the sharp sword against the
faithless.
Rejoice, you who shine with the rays of
the sun,
Rejoice, you who drive away the mania
of the tyrant.
Rejoice, tree bearing the fruits of
many graces,
Rejoice, for you bore the shoots of
many victories.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
Saving the Orthodox from the delusion
of the godless idols, you came straightaway, O Martyr, and you
preached the Lord as perfect God to the deluded and idiotic tyrant,
crying out to him: Alleluia.
St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrhstreamer (source)
You are the shelter of the Martyrs, O
Champion and Martyr, and all those who take refuge in you, for you
revealed the Maker of heaven and earth to all, and deposed the tyrant
and the idols. We therefore cry out to you:
Rejoice, the deliverance for those in
sickness,
Rejoice the savior of the continuously
hemorrhaged.
Rejoice, you who sow grace among all
those who hymn you,
Rejoice, for you are a pillar of
graces.
Rejoice, divine power, the casting-down
of idols.
Rejoice, pure
dwelling-place of God,
Rejoice, chaste type of Christ.
Rejoice, for your blood became as a new
baptism,
Rejoice, for your body received death.
Rejoice, bridge leaving those who die
from earth to heaven,
Rejoice, for you are a guide to the
faithful.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
We your servants all offer funeral
hymns at your grave, O Martyr, shedding tears and offering odes and
psalms to you, for we are not at all worthy of what has been
accomplished through, as befits your grave, but we cry out to the
Savior: Alleluia.
Your grave, O Martyr, has been shown to
be light-bearing, shining forth with grace like light. For all those
who approach are suddenly granted joy and health,
while we who approach you cry out these:
Rejoice, you who preserved your Church
unharmed,
Rejoice, you who trampled upon the
wiles of the evil one.
Rejoice, for you drove back the nation
of the Slavs,
Rejoice, for you trampled upon the rule
of the idols.
Rejoice, you who uprooted the pride of
the barbarians,
Rejoice, you who
cast out the conceit of the tyrants.
Rejoice, you who preserved your city
unharmed,
Rejoice, you who shook up the delusion
of the godless one.
Rejoice, you who punished Onesiphoros
for his theft,
Rejoice you who uprooted the danger of
the idols from the earth.
Rejoice, the sure consolation of those
who take refuge in you,
Rejoice, the salvation of the souls of
those who approach you.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
Bearing grace from above, O Demetrios,
you drove out all the campaigns of the enemies. You preached Christ
upon the heard as a steadfast hoplite of grace, and you cast down the
idols, as you chant along with everyone: Alleluia.
We hymn the wonder that you worked, O
Martyr, as your city was preserved victorious, as you appeared as a
god to the faithless, sending forth Angels speedily, saying: “Drive
them far away from the city”, therefore we cry out:
Rejoice, for at your will your city was
saved,
Rejoice, for through your strength the
enemy was cast down.
Rejoice, you who met Achilleos in your
flight,
Rejoice, you who sent out Nestor with
your strength.
Rejoice, you who drown Lyaios in blood,
Rejoice, you who raged against the
faithless in spirit.
Rejoice, you who strengthens your city
through your presence,
Rejoice, for if
you left her, your city would be lost.
Rejoice, you whose grave is beloved by
hymnologists,
Rejoice, you who put to death falsehood
through your might.
Rejoice, you who grants to us a sea of
graces,
Rejoice, you who sows the mercy of your
myrrh within all.
Rejoice, O Martyr Demetrios.
O pair of Martyrs, who preached Christ
as the surpassing Word before all, (3) receive these funeral hymn and
odes, and deliver us from every danger, and the coming trial through
your prayers, those who cry out to the Lord: Alleluia.
And again the Kontakion.
(source)
St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrhstreamer (source)
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
