Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!
Sts. Constantine and Helen the Equals-to-the-Apostles (source)
Akathist to Sts. Constantine and Helen the Equals-to-the-Apostles
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone.
O multitude bearing the name of Christ, come let us gather and praise with harmonious hymns the God-crowned Constantine and Helen, who clearly preached the faith of Christ, and uncovered the Precious Cross, and let us cry out to them: Rejoice, O ever-memorable ones.
Sts. Constantine and Helen (source)
Open my mouth, O Jesus my God, that I might hymn Constantine the Great (3), for he is the joy of all bearing the name of Christ, and a most-radiant proclaimer of the faith. Strengthen also my tongue to cry out to him things such as these:
Rejoice, he who was preordained by God,
Rejoice, he who was sanctified by Him.
Rejoice, he who was descended from royal lineage,
Rejoice, he who was filled with wisdom and counsel.
Rejoice, for in deed you proved God's calling,
Rejoice, for you fled from the darkness of faithlessness.
Rejoice, for you received the call from Heaven in faith,
Rejoice, you who were baptized by Sylvester in Rome.
Rejoice, the chaste joy of the faithful,
Rejoice, the corruption and wailing of the faithless.
Rejoice, through whom the priests take boast,
Rejoice, through whom kings are crowned.
Rejoice, O ever-memorable King.
Beholding Maxentios and Maximian trampling upon the pasture of Christ, you took boldness in God, O Constantine, and having arrayed yourself in the weapon of the Cross, and having overcome tyrants, you cried out to the Lord: Alleluia.
Sts. Constantine and Helen (source)
Having been enriched with divine blessedness, O Helen, you approached the Lord in faith. And having your son as a sacred fellow worker, the ever-memorable Constantine, you filled the world with incomparable joy, as we cry out to you:
Rejoice, foundation of piety,
Rejoice, glory of the Church.
Rejoice, the boast of all those bearing the name of Christ,
Rejoice, the adornment of all rulers.
Rejoice, for you gave to us the Cross of the Lord,
Rejoice, for from you has the wondrous Weapon shone forth.
Rejoice, you who uncovered the life-giving Tomb [of Christ],
Rejoice, you who revealed it to the whole world.
Rejoice, the joy and famed one of the world,
Rejoice, the corrupting and wailing of the idols.
Rejoice, through whom Christ was glorified,
Rejoice, through whom the divine faith was exalted.
Rejoice, O all-precious Queen.
The power of the Most-high truly descended upon you from on high, O blessed Helen, as you venerated the Holy Lands in reverence, and because of this, you raised up a divine temple that was greatly beautified, crying out to Christ the Savior: Alleluia.
Sts. Constantine and Helen (source)
Having Christ dwelling within your soul, and having been filled with divine illumination, you gathered the 318 God-bearing Fathers, and you strengthened the faithful, who cry out these things with fervor:
Rejoice, Christ-bearing King,
Rejoice, God-bearing Ruler.
Rejoice, equal in honor to the Apostles of Christ,
Rejoice, equal in number to the divine Fathers.
Rejoice, for you proclaimed the sacred Trinity,
Rejoice, for you drew everyone towards the true faith.
Rejoice, founder of the City that bears your name,
Rejoice, adorner of the Church of Christ.
Rejoice, for the Angels wondered at you,
Rejoice, for men were pleased in you.
Rejoice, protector of your famed Church,
Rejoice, deliverer of us who honor you.
Rejoice, O ever-memorable King.
Breathing forth with godly zeal on behalf of you, O Theotokos, the great King Constantine dedicated his city to you, having you as his sustainer and protector, which may you protect unto the ages, crying out to your Son: Alleluia.
Sts. Constantine and Helen (source)
All the nations, through you, O all-joyous one, heard the preaching of the Gospel: Armenians, Indians, Iberians and all the rest, O Lady, therefore the tribes and tongues [of the earth] praise you, crying out these things:
Rejoice, she who was ordained by God,
Rejoice, she who was elected by Him.
Rejoice, equal in honor to the former Prophetesses,
Rejoice, equal in station to the Myrrhbearers of Christ.
Rejoice, for you were zealous for Mariam of Moses,
Rejoice, for you were anointed more divinely that Oldas.
Rejoice, you who poured myrrh upon the Tomb of Christ,
Rejoice, another Magdalene and Joanna.
Rejoice, you who conquered the manliness of Judith,
Rejoice, you who surpassed Queen Esther.
Rejoice, you who desired Christ as Salome,
Rejoice, you who loved Him like Susannah.
Rejoice, O all-precious Queen.
Performing a God-led journey, O godly-minded one, you returned to the Queen of Cities [Constantinople], and you brought with you the Precious Cross of Christ, and the Nails, bringing them to your son, who was filled with incomparable joy, and cried out to the Lord: Alleluia.
All the nations beheld the wondrous Cross of the Lord through you, O Constantine, and were straightaway illumined with light, which drove away the terrible darkness, and you brought people to Christ, who therefore offer to you these things:
Rejoice, Apostle of the Lord,
Rejoice, lamp-lighter of the Gospel.
Rejoice, you who revealed the Precious Cross,
Rejoice, you who multiplied the preaching of Christ.
Rejoice, for you brought all nations to Christ,
Rejoice, for you founded divine temples to Him.
Rejoice, you who built the Church of the All-holy Sepulcher,
Rejoice, divine guide of pilgrimages.
Rejoice, for you are the common boast of cities,
Rejoice, our divine nourishment.
Rejoice, through whom kings are granted wealth,
Rejoice, through whom the faith is preserved.
Rejoice, O ever-memorable King.
As one who received the divine calling and the kingdom for your piety, O Constantine, you have boldness before God for the faithful, therefore intercede for those who joyfully cry out to Christ together: Alleluia.
Sts. Constantine and Helen (source)
Always bearing in mind the commandments of the Lord, you loved Him wholly with all your soul and body, and were arrayed in love for God like porphyry, as the Queen of the Psalms, you were arrayed and crying out: Alleluia.
Sts. Constantine and Helen (source)
You received the call from God at a young age like Paul, O godly-minded Constantine, and straightaway you imitated him with your whole soul, following Christ. Therefore we magnify you, crying out these things with joy:
Rejoice, chosen one of the Most-high,
Rejoice, creation of the Master.
Rejoice, most-fervent follower of Christ,
Rejoice, he who followed His good laws in practice.
Rejoice, for you served underwritten by virtues,
Rejoice, for you shone forth as meek and humble.
Rejoice, for you were a pillar of continence,
Rejoice, for you were a tower of righteousness.
Rejoice, incomparable help for the poor,
Rejoice, provider for many of the sick.
Rejoice, spring of forgiveness,
Rejoice, lily of sympathy.
Rejoice, O ever-memorable King.
Wholly embracing the dogma of the Holy Trinity that was foreign to you, O Constantine, you correspondingly lived a foreign life that matched these foreign teachings, and you shone like a sun upon the earth, and prayed to the Trinity: Alleluia.
Sts. Constantine and Helen (source)
Rejoice, fervent worshipper of God,
Rejoice, healer from the Creator.
Rejoice, you who were enriched with ceaseless prayer,
Rejoice, you who ever studied divine hymns.
Rejoice, for you built temples of the Lord,
Rejoice, for you enriched them with your treasures.
Rejoice, for you ever served as a benefactor to men,
Rejoice, for you filled the earth with good deeds.
Rejoice, for the Angels hymned you,
Rejoice, for the demons were afraid of you.
Rejoice, the joyous hymnody of God,
Rejoice, guide of mortals to salvation.
All the earth truly received the voice of your deeds, and because of this, every breath hymns the name of Helen, and every tongue praises her, crying out to the Creator of all: Alleluia.
Many words of rhetors are astonished at the multitude of your deeds, O Constantine, for your voice has reached the end of the earth, as David said. Therefore we magnify you, crying out these things joyfully:
Rejoice, wonder of the Angels,
Rejoice, astonishment of men.
Rejoice, you who did not proceed with pride upon the earth,
Rejoice, you whose name is ceaselessly wondered.
Rejoice, broad giant who measures the heavens,
Rejoice, universal Atlas, who upholds the earth.
Rejoice, the glorious boast of the whole world,
Rejoice, the greatly spoken of flower of every ruler.
Rejoice, most-radiant star of heaven,
Rejoice, greatly-shining light of the world.
Rejoice, through whom creation was illumined,
Rejoice, through whom the Creator was glorified.
Rejoice, O ever-memorable King.
Wishing to save the whole world, the Lord of glory gave the power and the wood of His Cross to you, and He revealed His life-flowing Tomb, which is venerated by all, as we cry out ceaselessly: Alleluia.
Sts. Constantine and Helen (source)
Ranks of the Angels, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs and all the Saints received you in joy as you proceeded from earth to Heaven. Intercede along with them, O Helen, that we be saved who cry out to you:
Rejoice, you who proceeded towards the Lord,
Rejoice, you who ever stand beside Him.
Rejoice, you who joined the mansions of the Prophets,
Rejoice, you who dwelt in the dwelling places of the Apostles.
Rejoice, for in your calling, you shine with light among the Saints,
Rejoice, you who entreat the sacred Trinity with joy.
Rejoice, you who were granted the grace of working wonders,
Rejoice, you who stand beside those who call upon you.
Rejoice, for we have been granted you as our protector,
Rejoice, for we have put on you as a surrounding wall.
Rejoice, you who deliver from the danger of death,
Rejoice, you who protect us in creation.
Sts. Constantine and Helen (source)
I behold you as a light-bearing lamp whose light shines throughout the world with the light of piety, as we praise your holy memory, O Christ-bearing Constantine, and do you also remember those who love you and cry out to you:
Rejoice, divine light of the world,
Rejoice, tasteful salt of all things.
Rejoice, you who stand before the unwaning Light,
Rejoice, you who rejoice in the glory of the Trinity.
Rejoice, you who have received unassailable boldness before God,
Rejoice, beloved friend who stands beside Christ.
Rejoice, you who were enriched with the grace of wonders from God,
Rejoice, you whose reliquary was shown to be a spring of graces.
Rejoice, through whom we are made close to God,
Rejoice, through whom we are delivered from dangers.
Rejoice, protector even at the hour of death,
Rejoice, deliverer from the inexorable Judgment.
Rejoice, O ever-memorable King.
You proceeded towards Christ with rejoicing, O Constantine, as you departed this life in peace. And while your body lay in your reliquary, your soul was taken by the divine and all-radiant hand of God, and together with the Angels you sing: Alleluia.
Sts. Constantine and Helen (source)
The great David chants and tells beforehand of you with joy, O wondrous Helen, as a mother who ever rejoices over her child. And we your servants ever cry out with joy:
Rejoice, you who ever stand before God,
Rejoice, you who are ever nourished by His glory.
Rejoice, you who dwell with the Mother of God,
Rejoice, you who ever rejoice with your son.
Rejoice, you who receive glory and love of Christ,
Rejoice, you who rule together with Him unto the ages.
Rejoice, the common intercession for the whole world,
Rejoice, the fervent protector of those who honor you.
Rejoice, hope and help,
Rejoice, my strength and foundation.
Rejoice, the protector of your famed church,
Rejoice, the deliverer of us who honor you.
(source)
Sts. Constantine and Helen (source)
Christ has risen from the dead, by death he has trampled on death, and to those in the graves given life!
Truly the Lord is risen!
Would it be possible to delete this one line of the Akathist?:
ReplyDelete"Rejoice, you who were baptized by Sylvester in Rome."
It's a reference to the falsified papal document "the Donation of Constantine" (where St. Sylvester supposedly baptized him and cured him of leprosy, early on).
There's so many new Akathists being written in Romania recently & officially published without checking them for theological and historical errors. And I know one of them--a popular one for Sts. Constantine and Helen--referenced the false document also. The third to last (Romanian) icon seems to depict this error visually, because we see St. Constantine working after the baptism (rather than being on his deathbed).
St. Constantine was baptized on his deathbed (St. Sylvester had already passed on by then).
I am only the translator of the akathist that I found from the original Greek, and so I don't have the right to delete or alter it. Your point is a good one, however, and those who read this akathist will also read your objection to that line. But the point is not who baptized St. Constantine, but that he was the first emperor of the Romans to bow before Christ in Holy Baptism.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this translation. What's the source of the Greek original?
ReplyDelete