Akathist to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul

The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (source)

Akathist to Saints Peter and Paul

Kontakion I

 

The Lord Who said of Himself: I am the good Shepherd, said unto thee, O first-enthroned Peter: If thou lovest Me, feed My sheep.  And He Who said: I am Jesus, said of thee, O preeminent Apostle Paul:  He is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the gentiles.  And likewise to all your colleagues, His apostles, He said: As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you; go ye, and teach all nations.  And ye, receiving such grace from your good Chief Shepherd, as the foremost shepherds and teachers of all the world, from all misfortunes preserve ye us on the pasture of salvation, that we may cry out to you:  Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Ikos I

 

Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonas! said Christ, the Son of the living God, unto thee, O right glorious Apostle Peter.  How then can we worthily call thee blessed who hast been called blessed by God Himself?  Yet drawn faithfully, by a debt of love alone, we cry out to thee thus:

Rejoice, first among the apostles, foundation of the holy Church;
Rejoice, mighty pillar and ground of the Orthodox Faith!
Rejoice, ardent lover of the teaching of Christ;
Rejoice, first-seated among the council of the apostles!
Rejoice, good gate-keeper of the kingdom of heaven;
Rejoice, renowned physician for them that repent of their sins!
Rejoice, thou who spurned the vanity of the world and loved the spiritual life;
Rejoice, thou who didst forsake corruptible nets and didst fish the whole world with incorruptible ones!
Rejoice with Peter, O Paul, for ye both shone forth like two great beacons;
Rejoice, O ye who like a pair of steeds were harnessed by God to His chariot of noetic light!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, beholders of God, for ye are the light of all the world;
Rejoice, for through you the Faith which saveth us hath shone forth from Christ in every place!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion II

 

O teacher of the gentiles, who received thy title wondrously from on high, thou didst believe when Jesus said unto thee:  Saul, why persecutest thou Me Who cannot be touched by unbelief?  Yet believe thou henceforth; for, lo! contrary audacity darkeneth thee, but I have chosen thee to be a witness to My judgments before the rulers, the nations and the children of Israel.  And thou, O Apostle Paul, called such things by God, didst cry out: Alleluia!

Sts. Peter and Paul the Holy Apostles (source)

    

Ikos II

 

Hearing a voice from heaven, O Saul, thou wast thereafter unable to see; for thou hadst adversely persecuted the Inaccessible One and didst receive blindness of thine eyes in return for thy zeal for the law; but, guided to the font, thou didst attain unto divine baptism, where, having been immersed with faith, the sight of thy bodily and spiritual eyes was restored.  Wherefore, mindful of thy miraculous calling, we cry out to thee:

Rejoice, O apostles called by God, sent forth to preach to all the nations;
Rejoice, chosen vessel which pourest forth the sweetness of the Faith of Christ upon all men!
Rejoice, beholder of the divine Light which illumineth from on high;
Rejoice, thou who more than others wast enlightened by grace after the shadow of the Old Covenant!
Rejoice, thou who on earth didst converse with the Lord Jesus Who appeared to thee;
Rejoice, thou who with His strength didst dare to denounce them that were adamant in their unbelief!
Rejoice, thou who hast enlightened the whole world with thy divinely wise writings;
Rejoice, thou who, following Christ, didst labor more than others for the salvation of man!
Rejoice with Paul, O Peter, for ye overshadow the holy Church as the two cherubim did the ark;
Rejoice, ye who stand before the throne of the Most High like two seraphim!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, for ye are like the heavens which proclaim the glory of God;
Rejoice, for ye are the stars which crown the Church, the Bride of Christ!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion III

 

Thou wast struck with horror, O holy Apostle Peter, beholding the sheet descending from on high, filled with all manner of living creatures, moreover with unclean beasts, wherein was set forth a parable of God's love for man, signifying that it is not fitting to reject them that from all the nations desire to believe in Christ Jesus.  And understanding this mystery, thou didst cry out to God: Alleluia!

The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (source)

  

Ikos III

 

Naught that is vile or unclean hath ever passed my lips! thou didst say, O most blessed Apostle Peter.  But divine Providence answered thee with a voice from heaven, saying:  What God hath cleansed, that do thou not revile, calling it unclean; for the Savior cameth not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance!  And we, knowing what was revealed to thee, cry out:

Rejoice, O apostle, who mercifully openest the kingdom of heaven;
Rejoice, thou who not only watchest over men, but over the affairs of all the nations!
Rejoice, thou who with thy love coverest the multitude of our sins;
Rejoice, thou who perfectest our meager repentance with thy mercy!
Rejoice, speedy helper for them that call upon thee amid spiritual tribulations;
Rejoice, thou who by thy supplication raisest up those dead of body and soul!
Rejoice, thou who strengthenest with the Holy Spirit the faithful who hearken unto thy word;
Rejoice, thou who woundest the unbelieving with thy words, as with darts!
Rejoice with Peter, O Paul, in that ye are as the two eyes of the Church, endued with divine sight;
Rejoice, ever-vigilant guides watching over the new Israel!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, for ye are as a guard upon the walls of Jerusalem;
Rejoice, O our instructors, who keep watch over the souls of Christians!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion IV

 

To the Jews living in Damascus didst thou begin to preach, O apostle Paul, enlightened of God, that they might believe in Christ Jesus the Son of God; and they were astonished at how one who before had persecuted them that believed in the name of Christ had - O, the wonder! - himself been transformed into a believer!  Wherefore, they took counsel together to slay thee; but knowing their intent and the hardness of their hearts, thou didst leave them in the blindness of their unbelief and, let down over the wall in a basket by the faithful, thou didst cry out to God:  Alleluia!

  

Sts. Peter and Paul (source)

  

Ikos IV

 

With great zeal, O holy Paul, thou didst preach to turn away from the prescriptions of the old law and circumcision and to make haste to the font of divine baptism, proclaiming this not only to the Jews, but also to the gentiles whose most loving teacher thou wast.  Wherefore, we exclaim unto thee thus:

Rejoice, preacher sent by God to announce repentance unto sinners;
Rejoice, teacher of piety with thunderous voice, denouncer of ungodliness!
Rejoice, merciful inviter of them among the gentiles that are astray, yet hasten to the Faith of Christ;
Rejoice, true guide to the straight path!
Rejoice, ship which keepest the faithful from drowning in sin;
Rejoice, helmsman who guidest us to the haven of the pleasing of God!
Rejoice, quickly interceding comforter of the sorrowful;
Rejoice, healer who acceptest no recompense for curing ailments of body and soul!
Rejoice with Paul, O Peter, for ye are like two wings furnished unto the Church by Christ, the great Eagle;
Rejoice, for ye are like two wings given to her, the dove, by the Holy Spirit!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, who are whole as doves and through hope have been furnished with wings like eagles;
Rejoice, for where Christ was in the body, there were ye gathered together!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion V

 

Sweating from thine earthly labors and providing for thyself by fishing, O holy Apostle Peter, thou wast called to be an apostle and didst believe in Christ Who nurtureth abundantly, Who fed a thousand people with five loaves; and thou didst follow Him, laboring for food which perisheth not, but abideth unto everlasting life; and thou didst cry out to Him as God:  Alleluia!

  

The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (source)

  

Ikos V

 

Forbidden by the chief priests and elders of the Jews to teach the name of the Lord Jesus, O blessed Apostle Peter, arming thyself with steadfast faith, thou didst answer:  We ought to obey God rather than man!  And having endured imprisonment and stripes for this, thou didst depart from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of the Lord.  Wherefore, we also offer to thee exclamations of joy, saying:

Rejoice, thou who didst put the council of the Jews to shame by the writings of the prophets concerning Christ;
Rejoice, thou who didst rend asunder the false threats of the Pharisees and Sadducees like a spider's web!
Rejoice, thou who didst work many miracles through the grace of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, thou who grantest sight to the blind and the ability to walk to the lame!
Rejoice, thou who by thy shadow didst raise the sick from their beds of pain;
Rejoice, thou who didst heal them that suffered from many unclean spirits!
Rejoice, thou who summonest fishermen to a wondrous catch;
Rejoice, thou who drawest the unbelieving to faith as if they were voiceless fish!
Rejoice with Peter, O Paul, for ye are like two breasts of the Church, the Bride of Christ, our Mother;
Rejoice, for ye are like two grapes of the voice, which nourish us and make us glad!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, for ye are branches of Christ, the true Vine;
Rejoice, for ye are good husbandmen of the vineyard of Christ!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion VI

 

An Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin, a Pharisee according to the law, a persecutor of the Church of God in thy zeal, didst thou call thyself, O holy Apostle Paul, not hiding thy former hot temper against them that believed in Christ Jesus; but as thou didst greatly persecute the Church of God and didst strive to destroy it, so now, gloriously adorned by thee, and made steadfast in might by thy mellifluous teachings, it crieth unto God:  Alleluia!

  

The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (source)

  

Ikos VI

 

Who shall separate us from the love of God?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or like things? thou didst say, O Apostle Paul, preacher of the Word beloved of God, bringing all to the love of Christ Who sincerely believe in Him, that with boldness and thanksgiving we may endure tribulation for God's sake.  Wherefore, we lovingly exclaim to thee these things:

Rejoice, thou who wast a zealot for the law named Saul;
Rejoice, lover of Christ, named Paul, perfected in grace!
Rejoice, light of divine knowledge, illumining them that are in the darkness of unbelief;
Rejoice, star guiding them that languish in the depths of iniquity!
Rejoice, thou who betrothest the souls of the faithful to Christ and summonest them to the heavenly bridal chamber;
Rejoice, thou who didst endure many tribulations and hast made others also steadfast to endure them!
Rejoice, thou into whose hands God placed mighty powers;
Rejoice, thou whose sweat-soaked kerchief healed the sick!
Rejoice with Paul, O Peter, for ye are like the two pillars which uphold the Church of the heavenly Solomon;
Rejoice, ye who, like two lilies on its pillars, adorn the sanctuary of God!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, for like flowers do ye impart fragrance to all the world;
Rejoice, ye who through your fragrance dispel the stench of all iniquity!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion VII

 

On thine arrival in Lydda, O blessed Apostle Peter, thou didst amaze the people living there when by the name of Jesus Christ thou didst raise up Æneas, who had lain abed, sick of the palsy, for eight years, and didst cause him to walk; in Joppa thou didst likewise, by thy supplication, return to life the dead Tabitha; and, summoned to Caesaria, thou didst enlighten with divine baptism Cornelius the centurion with all in his household.  Wherefore, we all straightway cry aloud to God in unity of soul:  Alleluia!

  

Sts. Peter and Paul (source)

  

Ikos VII

 

Simon Magus thought to acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit with silver; but thou, O blessed Apostle Peter, didst condemn him to inherit damnation with his silver and didst sternly forbid both the avaricious practice of simony and the theft of sacred things.  Wherefore, we exclaim unto thee thus:

Rejoice, thou who enriched the Church of Christ with the grace of the Spirit;
Rejoice, thou who didst forbid the reception of recompense for holy things in the Church!
Rejoice, thou by whom avarice was cut off, as the root of all evils, through the grace of the Spirit;
Rejoice, thou by whom covetousness is cast away by sanctity as a type of idolatry!
Rejoice, thou who didst lead a hard life for the sake of Christ;
Rejoice, thou who didst fulfill well the commandment of Christ:  ye cannot serve God and Mammon!
Rejoice, thou who didst sternly punish the sacrilege of Ananias with death;
Rejoice, thou who didst likewise commit Sapphira, who was guilty of that sin, to the same punishment!
Rejoice with Peter, O Paul, for ye are like two olive trees which pour forth mercy;
Rejoice, for ye are like two lamps radiating wisdom!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, as tender olive shoots;
Rejoice, for because of you is all like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion VIII

 

Having attained unto the third heaven because of thy sanctity of body and soul and been enriched with ineffable benefactions, thou didst descend from thence, O divinely blessed Apostle Paul, and didst astonish all, filling those of the Jews and of the gentiles who believed in Christ with thy teachings of the knowledge of God.  And together with them, all we, the faithful, who have a share of thine heavenly teaching, cry out to God:  Alleluia!

  

The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (source)

  

Ikos VIII

 

A model for the faithful, thou didst joyfully endure many stripes, beatings and stonings of thy body for the sake of sweet Jesus, O Apostle Paul, called by God, manifestly indicating that it is the part of them that believe in Christ Jesus to undergo all manner of tribulations thankfully, for His sake.  Wherefore, we also cry out to thee, using such exclamations as these:

Rejoice, thou who didst joyfully bear the wounds of the Lord on thy body;
Rejoice, adamant firm of body and soul, who mightily endured all manner of tribulation!
Rejoice, insuperable confessor of Christ before the nations and their rulers;
Rejoice, teacher invincible in the face of the Israelite teachers of the law!
Rejoice, luminous star which shone forth from the third heaven;
Rejoice, greatly fruitful branch which buddest forth from paradise, full of spiritual food!
Rejoice, thou who by thy teaching hast illumined all the earth as with an unwaning light;
Rejoice, thou who hast fed the faithful throughout the world with the produce of thy works as with most comely fruits!
Rejoice with Paul, O Peter, for ye are as two trees in the midst of the garden of the Church;
Rejoice, ye who put forth the fruit of life and good understanding!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, who are like noetic palm trees and cedars;
Rejoice, ye who have been transplanted to heaven as the garden of the heavenly Father!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion IX

 

Thou wast possessed of an all-embracing concern for all who came to the Faith of Christ, O blessed Apostle Peter, that their heart and soul become one.  Wherefore, thou didst appoint for their needs a minister, the chaste Stephen, and six other deacons; and thou thyself, together with the rest of the apostles, didst dedicate thyself to prayer and the preaching of the Word, instructing all the faithful, who cried out with oneness of mind to God:  Alleluia!

  

The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (source)

  

Ikos IX

 

Aflame with zeal for thy Lord, thou didst cut off the ear of Malchus, for he seemed to thee as one disinclined to heed the writings of the prophets concerning Jesus Christ. But, reproved for such audacity by thy Teacher, O blessed Apostle Peter, thou didst thankfully bear His reproach and all its contrary results.  Wherefore, mindful of thy zeal, we cry aloud to thee thus:

Rejoice, thou who didst surpass the rest of the disciples in thy zeal for Christ;
Rejoice, manful sword-bearer of Christ in the garden!
Rejoice, thou who didst follow Christ, Who was being led to His suffering, even to the house of Caiaphas;
Rejoice, thou who wast prepared for prison and death for the sake of thy Lord!
Rejoice, thou who with bitter lamentation didst heal thy weakness in denying thy Master;
Rejoice, thou who after the Lord's resurrection wast summoned to thy former dignity!
Rejoice, thou who hast provided a model of repentance for the rest of us sinners;
Rejoice, thou who didst vow to forgive the weakness of the penitent many times over!
Rejoice with Peter, O Paul, for ye are like the tables of the law of the Lord;
Rejoice, teachers of love for God and neighbor!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, who perfectly kept all the commandments of the Lord;
Rejoice, ye who left all and followed after Christ, and found all in Him!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion X

 

Great testimony didst thou produce from the sayings of the prophets concerning Christ in the face of the leaders of the Jews, and before the Procurator Festus and King Agrippa, O Apostle Paul, who wast called of God, and all were utterly set at naught; for many of the Jews quoted books to thee in their frenzy, and thou wast answered by both Festus and Agrippa falsely, and wast condemned to be sent to Rome.  But, enduring everything with thanksgiving, thou didst cry out with the faithful to God:  Alleluia!

  

Sts. Peter and Paul (source)

  

Ikos X

 

O Apostle Paul, who wast led to proclaim the life-creating Trinity in the third heaven, most elect vessel of the great mysteries of God:  declaring the good news before the gentiles, the judges and rulers, thou didst promise salvation unto them that desire to believe in Christ Jesus and receive holy baptism in the name of the Trinity.  Wherefore, all we the faithful, being of good hope concerning that salvation, cry out to thee thus:

Rejoice, mystagogue of great understanding of the revelation of the Lord;
Rejoice, confessor of the one God in three Persons!
Rejoice, thou who didst proclaim Christ to be the one Foundation of the faithful;
Rejoice, thou who hast made all the pious steadfast in that confession!
Rejoice, thou who didst endure raging reproaches from the unbelieving Festus;
Rejoice, thou who didst utter words of truth and chastity in his presence!
Rejoice, thou who didst most clearly recount thine heavenly vision to King Agrippa;
Rejoice, thou who didst manifestly denounce his error which is not consonant with the Faith of Christ!
Rejoice, O Paul, with Peter, for ye are like two silver trumpets of Moses;
Rejoice, ye who call those of earth and beneath the earth to battle against evil!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, who have suffered cruelly as valiant warriors of Christ;
Rejoice, ye who have vanquished the kingdoms of the earth by faith and have received heavenly things!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion XI

 

Having slain Iakovos, the brother of John, Herod went on to seize thee as well, O divinely blessed Apostle Peter; and he placed thee under heavy guard in prison to await execution.  Yet while fervent prayer was being offered up by the Church for thy deliverance, the angel of the Lord loosed thy bonds and led thee through the gates, which opened of themselves, and thou didst think that thou wast beholding a dream.  But when the angel departed, thou didst come to thy senses and didst truly realize that thou hadst been freed; and thou didst cry out to God in thanksgiving:  Alleluia!

  

The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (source)

  

Ikos XI

 

That which had been asked by Philip:  Lord, show us the Father! didst thou come to know, O blessed Apostle Peter, on Mount Tabor, whereon, beholding the all-glorious transformation of the countenance of the transfigured Lord, thou didst hear the voice of God the Father say of Him from heaven:  This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him!  And we cry out to thee who wast counted worthy of such a revelation:

Rejoice, reliable witness of the transfiguration of Christ;
Rejoice, renowned one who heard the divine voice of the Father from heaven!
Rejoice, thou who didst behold the countenance of the Son of God illumined like the sun;
Rejoice, thou who didst most splendidly receive the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit in the cloud!
Rejoice, thou to whom the most exalted mystery was disclosed upon the mountain;
Rejoice, thou to whom the majestic glory of the all-holy Trinity was made manifest!
Rejoice, thou who heardest that the departure of Christ was to take place in Jerusalem;
Rejoice, thou who, following Christ, didst accomplish thy departure on a cross in Rome!
Rejoice with Peter, O Paul, for ye are two noetic mountains like Tabor and Hermon;
Rejoice, ye who from the east and the west revealed the promised land in heaven!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, like the mountains of Sion;
Rejoice, ye who let the sweetness of salvation fall upon us!
Rejoice, ye holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion XII

 

We hymn thee who standest on equal footing with the cherubim, O most blessed Apostle Paul, who wast enlightened by divine wisdom in the third heaven; for, hearing ineffable words there which it is not lawful for a man to utter, thou didst travel the whole world therewith, teaching all to believe in the crucified Christ, the Son of God, and to chant unceasingly unto Him as the true God:  Alleluia!

  

The Great Deisis: Christ, entreated by the Most-holy Theotokos, the Precious Forerunner, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and Sts. Nicholas, George, Timothy and Mavra (source)

  

Ikos XII

 

Full of the great revelation of divine mysteries, O chosen vessel of Jesus, all-wise Apostle Paul, thou didst diligently bear forth the name of God Who hath appeared in the flesh and saveth them that believe in Him; and having converted many of the gentiles and fought the good fight, in the city of Rome thou didst finish thy course most gloriously for the name of thy Lord, and didst then receive therein a crown of righteousness.  Wherefore, we cry out to thee thus:

Rejoice, great lover of the name of Jesus, who suffered greatly for Him;
Rejoice, thou who bore witness before those of heaven, of earth and beneath the earth, concerning His name!
Rejoice, for thou didst bear witness well concerning the Lord in Jerusalem;
Rejoice, thou who thus wast commanded by Him to bear witness also in Rome!
Rejoice, thou who denounced the Emperor Nero and converted his consort to the Christian Faith;
Rejoice, thou who in the same Rome didst bow thine head beneath the sword, executed with Peter, who was crucified head downward!
Rejoice, for at the severing of thine honored head milk flowed forth;
Rejoice, for this great wonder drew many soldiers to the Faith!
Rejoice with Paul, O Peter, for ye are like two rivers of living water gushing forth from the wellspring of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, ye who were shown forth by the confluence of the two rivers named Jor and Dan!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, like torrents of rivers which gladden the city of the Church of God;
Rejoice, for ye are like streams of sweetness which give all the faithful to drink from the cup of salvation!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion XIII

 

O most glorious and laudable disciples of Christ, Peter and Paul, first-enthroned and equally enthroned holy Apostles, who have enlightened all the universe with the holy Faith and will come with Christ to judge the whole world!  Your proper dignity is not on earth, but is the glory and praise rendered in heaven.  Accepting now our unworthy entreaty, by your worthy supplications preserve us from all misfortunes, and beseech Christ, the just Judge, to be merciful to us at the last judgment, that, saved by your mediation, we may chant unto God our Savior:  Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! (Thrice).

(Kontakion 13 is chanted thrice in its entirety;
whereupon Oikos 1 and Kontakion 1 are repeated as below;
then follows the Prayers to Ss. Peter and Paul.)

  

Sts. Peter and Paul (source)

  

Ikos I

 

Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonas! said Christ, the Son of the living God, unto thee, O right glorious Apostle Peter.  How then can we worthily call thee blessed who hast been called blessed by God Himself? Yet drawn faithfully, by a debt of love alone, we cry out to thee thus:

Rejoice, first among the apostles, foundation of the holy Church;
Rejoice, mighty pillar and ground of the Orthodox Faith!
Rejoice, ardent lover of the teaching of Christ;
Rejoice, first-seated among the council of the apostles!
Rejoice, good gate-keeper of the kingdom of heaven;
Rejoice, renowned physician for them that repent of their sins!
Rejoice, thou who spurned the vanity of the world and loved the spiritual life;
Rejoice, thou who didst forsake corruptible nets and didst fish the whole world with incorruptible ones!
Rejoice with Peter, O Paul, for ye both shone forth like two great beacons;
Rejoice, O ye who like a pair of steeds were harnessed by God to His chariot of noetic light!
Rejoice, all ye holy apostles, beholders of God, for ye are the light of all the world;
Rejoice, for through you the Faith which saveth us hath shone forth from Christ in every place!
Rejoice, O holy first-enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

 

Kontakion I

 

The Lord Who said of Himself:  I am the good Shepherd, said unto thee, O first-enthroned Peter:  If thou lovest Me, feed My sheep.  And He Who said:  I am Jesus, said of thee, O preeminent Apostle Paul:  He is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the gentiles.  And likewise to all your colleagues, His apostles, He said: As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you; go ye, and teach all nations.  And ye, receiving such grace from your good Chief Shepherd, as the foremost shepherds and teachers of all the world, from all misfortunes preserve ye us on the pasture of salvation, that we may cry out to you:  Rejoice, O holy first enthroned Peter and Paul, with all the holy apostles!

  

Sts. Peter and Paul (source)

  

PRAYERS TO THE HOLY PRE-EMINENT APOSTLES PETER & PAUL

 

I

O most glorious Apostles Peter and Paul, who laid down your lives for Christ and beautified His pasture with your blood! Hearken unto the prayers and sighs of your children which are now offered up with contrite heart.  For, lo! we have darkened ourselves with iniquities, and for this cause have we been covered with misfortunes as with showers; and we have become exceeding poor in the oil of a good life, and we cannot fend off the ravening wolves which boldly strive to lay hands on the inheritance of God.  O ye mighty ones! bear ye our infirmities and separate yourselves not from us in spirit, that we not depart utterly from the love of God; but with your mighty assistance defend us, that the Lord have mercy on us all for the sake of your prayers, that He rend asunder the handwriting of our countless sins, and that He vouchsafe us with all the saints the blessed kingdom and the wedding feast of His Lamb, to Whom be honor and glory, thanksgiving and worship, unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

 

II

O holy Peter, chief of the apostles, rock of faith fixed firmly upon Christ, the chief Cornerstone, through thy confession!  Pray thou that, unmoved by the imaginations of my mind and carnal lusts, I, too, may through faith be fixed firmly upon this same Christ, the Rock living, chosen and precious; that through love I may be made perfect as a temple of the Spirit, wherein I may offer up spiritual sacrifices unto Jesus Christ our God.  O holy Paul, chief of the apostles, chosen vessel of Christ, overflowing with grace and the glory of God!  Entreat thou the Creator, Who hath authority over creation, that He make of me, who am now a vessel of perdition, a vessel of honor for Himself, sanctified and fitting, ready for every good work, unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

 

III

O ye foremost of the apostles:  Peter, steadfast exponent of the Faith of Christ, and Paul, melodious swallow of the teaching of the Lord!  We perceive you to be a much-flowing river recounting the words of Christ, gushing forth from the breast of the Lord, disclosing to us the depths of the well of divinely revealed truths.  We see you to be lamps which make things clear for us with streams of the fervor of divine love from heaven.  We bless you, for ye endured tribulation and pain to sow the seed of divine teaching, and with your footsteps went round all the ends of the earth.  With compunction we entreat you, O holy Apostles: cause us, in our sinful foolishness, to fall prostrate before the Lord, our Teacher; cause ye that the head of our pride be cut off, and haste ye to raise us up by your unceasing supplications, that there, with the choir of the angels and the apostles, we may glorify the Father of all, Who is wondrous in His saints, Who sent our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, and the Holy Spirit, Who is one in essence with Them, unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

  

The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (source)

  

IV

O holy Peter, chief of the apostles, rock of faith steadfast in thy confession, foundation of the Church immovable in Christ, pastor of the rational flock of Christ, keeper of the keys to the kingdom of heaven, fisherman most wise who from the depths of unbelief dost draw forth men!  Thee do I humbly entreat, that the net of thy divine draught encompass me and draw me forth from the abyss of perdition.  I know that thou hast received from God the authority to loose and to bind; release me who am bound fast with bonds of sin, show forth thy mercy on me, wretch that I am, and give life to my soul which hath been slain by sins, as before thou didst raise up Tabitha from the dead; restore me to the good path, as before thou didst restore the lame man at the Beautiful Gates, who had been lame from his mother's womb; and as thou didst heal all the infirm by thy shadow, may the grace given thee by God overshadow me, healing my ailments of body and soul.  For thou canst do all things, O holy one, through the power of Christ, for Whose sake thou didst forsake all to follow in His steps.  Wherefore, pray thou to Him in my behalf, wretch that I am, that by thy supplications He may deliver me from all evil and teach me with a pure heart to send up glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

 

V

O holy Paul, eminent among the apostles, chosen vessel of Christ, recounter of heavenly mysteries, teacher of all the nations, clarion of the Church, renowned orator, who didst endure many misfortunes for the name of Christ, who didst traverse the sea and didst go about the land, and didst convert us from the deception of idolatry!  Thee do I entreat and to thee do I cry: disdain me not, defiled as I am, but raise me up who have fallen through sinful sloth, as in Lystra thou didst raise up the man who had been lame from his mother's womb; and as thou didst give life unto Euthyches who lay dead, so also raise me up from my dead works; and as at thine entreaty the foundation of the prison once quaked and thou didst loose the bonds of the prisoners, so draw me out of the snare of the enemy, and strengthen me to do the will of God.  For thou canst do all things by the authority given thee by God, to Whom is due all glory, honor and worship, with His unoriginate Father and His allholy, good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.  Amen.

(source)

  

Sts. Peter and Paul (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Akathist to St. Catherine the Great Martyr

St. Catherine the Great Martyr and All-wise (source)

  
Akathist to St. Catherine the Great Martyr of Alexandra, the All-wise
  

Kontakion 1

With songs of praise let us hymn Catherine, the bride of Christ, the virgin martyr chosen from the imperial house and crowned in heaven; for she is the most glorious vanquisher of the tyrant, the most wise instructor of philosophers, and a guide to Christ for many. As thou hast boldness before the Lord, O great martyr Catherine, mercifully incline Him to the right needful petitions of those who cry out to thee:
Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!
  

Ikos 1

Having preserved a purity equal to that of the angels, O holy virgin Catherine, thou didst hasten to the choirs of the angels, and with the angels thou hast been accounted worthy of divine illumination; and whilst chanting with them a hymn to the Trinity in the heavens, hearken unto us on earth who chant these things:

Rejoice, thou who from infancy wast set aside as a vessel of grace by the election of God the Father;

Rejoice, thou who through the wondrous economy of God wast instructed in the understanding of the greatness and glory of Christ the Son of God!

Rejoice, wondrous sign of the foreknowledge of God, which was made manifest in thee;

Rejoice, for when the Holy Spirit called thee, thou thyself didst earnestly hasten to His sanctity

Rejoice, thou who wast illumined by the light of pious faith;

Rrejoice, thou who wast reborn in the holy font!

Rejoice, honored dwelling-place of the sanctity of the Spirit;

Rejoice, fulfillment of the sufferings of Christ!

Rejoice, thou who on earth didst wash thy garments in the blood of the Lamb;

Rejoice, thou who didst join chorus with the holy virgins in heaven!

Rejoice, most radiant star, shining with the glory of miracles in the firmament of the Church;

Rejoice, thou who like a dove art also resplendent with meekness in the blessed kingdom of Christ!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 2

Seeing herself found worthy to receive a vision, the blessed Catherine hastened to the holy elder who had before entrusted the icon of the Mother of God to her; and she recounted to him how Christ, Who had appeared to her with His all-holy Mother, had hid His face from her, calling her foolish, poor and of mean birth, until such time as she forsook the infamy of idolatry. And hearing this, the venerable one instructed her in the mysteries of the Faith and baptized her; and in the renewal of the Spirit, she chanted to God in thanksgiving: Alleluia!

  

Ikos 2

Having acquired in her spiritual rebirth a good intellect, true nobility and imperishable riches, the holy Catherine was shown to be worthy of Christ the heavenly Bridegroom Who, appearing again to her, loved her and betrothed her to Himself with the ring He gave her; and recognizing the magnitude of God's good pleasure, she was so stricken with love for Him that she no longer pondered earthly things, but thought unceasingly of her Beloved. Having been accounted worthy of such grace, hearken thou unto these things from us:

Rejoice, for in the natural wisdom given thee, thou didst seek from God spiritual gifts which transcend nature;

Rejoice, for thou didst make foolish the wisdom, glory and riches of the world!

Rejoice, for thou didst not wish to take to thee a bridegroom from among the men of the world;

Rejoice, thou who in a vision wast betrothed by the Lord Christ Himself as His unblemished bride

Rejoice, for thou didst have the all-pure Mother of God herself as guarantor for thee and mediator with God the Son of God;

Rejoice, for thou didst truly receive from Christ a most marvelous ring for thy right hand, as a token of thy betrothal to thy heavenly Bridegroom!

Rejoice, for having been transformed by a wondrous transformation, thou didst put aside all thought of worldly things; rejoice, for thou didst diligently pursue the fragrance of the myrrh of Christ

Rejoice, good lover of the immortal Bridegroom;

Rejoice, receptacle of the fragrance of the Most High!

Rejoice, olive tree planted in the house of God;

Rejoice, cedar of Lebanon growing to a great height!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 3

The power of the Most High then gave to the holy Catherine the boldness fearlessly to denounce the impious Emperor Maximinus for offering sacrifices unto idols; and he was struck mute for many hours, unable to gainsay her words; and she chanted unto God in thanksgiving: Alleluia!

  

Ikos 3

Possessed of wisdom imparted to her from on high, when the impious Emperor set her before himself the holy Catherine confessed herself to be an emperor's daughter, and one who had mastered well the sciences of philosophy and rhetoric; and furthermore, as an open rejection of the worship of idols, she declared herself to be the bride of Christ. Mindful therefore of this thy bold confession, we offer up to thee such things as these:

Rejoice, bee who didst escape by flight the reek of idolatry;

Rejoice, dove who didst ever strive earnestly to preserve the purity of thy soul and body!

Rejoice, thou who, having strained thy whole mind to comprehend the mysteries of salvation in the Lord Christ, wast enriched with spiritual treasures;

Rejoice, for, exceeding zealous for the glory of Christ thy heavenly Bridegroom, thou didst strive in every way to lure erring people into the net of the Faith of Christ!

Rejoice, for, guided by the mighty arm of Christ, thou didst escape the tempest of idolatry;

Rejoice, for, directed by the divine commandments of the Master and afire with love for Him, thou didst earnestly hasten to the struggles that awaited thee!

Rejoice, for, invested with divine help, thou didst courageously make thy stand before the godless tribunal;

Rejoice, for by thy mighty boldness thou didst daunt the tyrannical emperor himself! Rejoice, fortress of faith erected by Christ to set unbelief at naught;

Rejoice, most radiant morning-star, heralding the dawn of salvation for those who through thee came to believe on Christ!

Rejoice, athlete who overcame the ruler of this world as a beacon overcometh darkness;

Rejoice, sanctified wall of the fold, guarding the sheep of Christ against the ravenings of the noetic wolf!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 4

Stirring up a tempest of wrath against the holy virgin, the emperor said to her: "Speak not evilly to me against our gods!" But the holy Catherine replied: "If thou desirest to shake the darkness of delusion from the eyes of thy soul, understand that thy gods are evil, and accept the true God Whose name, when merely uttered, or Whose Cross, when traced in the air, driveth away and destroyeth thy gods. If thou commandest, I shall disclose to thee the Truth, chanting unto God: Alleluia!"

  

St. Catherine the Great Martyr (source)

  

Ikos 4

Hearing thy wise and generous reply concerning the Faith of Christ, and fearing lest he be bested by thee, O most splendid maiden, the impious Emperor assembled wise men, fifty in number, from the far-flung regions of his realm, to argue with thee. But strengthened and assured of victory by the Archangel Michael, thou didst rejoice greatly and didst resolutely enter into debate with them. Wherefore, accept from us this praise:

Rejoice, for thou wast informed by the archangel concerning thy victorious triumph over thine opponents;

Rejoice, for, possessed of divine knowledge from heaven, thou didst right boldly and courageously put to shame the proponents of knowledge falsely so called!

Rejoice, for with a purified heart thou didst receive the grace of the Spirit of truth;

Rejoice, for, having made thyself steadfast by thy manner of life and constant reasoning, thou didst trample the falsehoods of the noetic foe underfoot!

Rejoice, melodious organ of the Spirit; rejoice, revealer of the mind of Christ!

Rejoice, thou who didst acquire the cherubim's knowledge of God;

Rejoice, thou who wast enflamed with the seraphim's love for God!

Rejoice, most wise of the wise; rejoice, thou who didst sharpen the sword of the Spirit against unbelief!

Rejoice, dispeller of impiety; rejoice, instructor of the faithful!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 5

Thou wast like unto a divinely radiant star, O Catherine, having by thy wise words prevailed in argument over the fifty rhetoricians and guided them to the Christian path that leadeth to Christ God, the Sun of righteousness, Who shone forth from the Virgin; but, condemned for Christ's sake to immolation and accompanied on their way by thy prayers, they joyously entered the fire, chanting: Alleluia!

  

Ikos 5

Seeing his edicts spurned and his exhortations ignored, the emperor turned to deceit, that he might seduce thee with blandishments, O blessed Catherine, promising to give thee half of his kingdom. But, preferring the Faith to earthly treasures, and loving Christ thy Bridegroom more than an earthly kingdom, and the vesture of martyrdom more than royal purple, thou didst reject his vain words. Wherefore, we offer up to thee these praises:

Rejoice, O virgin who didst denounce falsehood;

Rejoice, thou who didst trample the perfidious serpent underfoot!

Rejoice, for thou didst turn the pernicious doctrine of the infidels into a weapon for their destruction;

Rejoice, for, having stripped the gods they worshipped of their veneration, thou didst hold them up to mockery!

Rejoice, for the fifty member council of those who boasted themselves to be wise thou didst most wisely set at naught;

Rejoice, for thou didst unmask the foolishness of their earthly wisdom before the whole multitude

Rejoice, clarion of the Spirit, emitting the sound of true theology;

Rejoice, good confession of the Faith!

Rejoice, splendor of the light of the Gospel;

Rejoice, keeper of eternal laws!

Rejoice, thou who didst ascend the mountain of divine vision;

Rejoice, for the light of Christ having illumined those who disputed with thee with faith, received them unto salvation!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 6

Zealous to imitate the preachers and God-bearing apostles, thou didst boldly proclaim Christ the true God in the tyrant's presence, and throughout thy floggings and imprisonment thou didst chant to Him: Alleluia!

  

Ikos 6

He Who shone the effulgence of true knowledge into thy heart drove away the gloom of tribulations and did not leave thee to starve, sending food to thee by means of a dove; neither did He permit thee to be afflicted by thy pangs, for in prison He visited thee Himself, giving thee strength and promising thee many crowns. And thou wast strengthened all the more by Him, O thou who art patient of heart, and the Empress Augusta, the General Porphyrius and the soldiers who came to thee, thou didst convert to the light of the Christian Faith, teaching them to chant these things to thee:

Rejoice, phial of love divine;

Rejoice, for, imitating Chris, thou didst willingly go forth to suffer!

Rejoice, hard adamant;

Rejoice, all-honorable source of ineffable miracles!

Rejoice, thou who didst slay the enemy by thine endurance;

Rejoice, thou who didst bear the wounds of the Lord upon thy body!

Rejoice, thou who to the Empress Augusta and those who accompanied her didst show the way to the feat of martyrdom;

Rejoice, for thou wast a light amid the darkness!

Rejoice, for the Lord Himself, the Light of the world, revealed Himself to thee when thou wast in prison;

Rejoice, speedy liberator from the bonds of sin!

Rejoice, swift healer of the sick; rejoice, aid of our salvation!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 7

The godless Emperor, wishing to lure thee into idolatrous worship abominable to God, again set snares for thee, O all-wise one, seeking to distract thee by falsely praising thy beauty; but thou didst call beauty a transient thing and one that quickly passeth, and confessing Christ to be the living and true God thou didst chant unto Him: Alleluia!

  

St. Catherine the Great Martyr (source)

  

Ikos 7

The emperor displayed his wrath and inhumanity anew when he commanded the governor to break thy pure, virginal and holy body upon the wheel; but by the wondrous hand of the angel thou wast straightway loosed without having sustained any harm, the wheel suddenly broke apart, and in its breaking many unbelievers were slain. Seeing this, the emperor was stricken with terror, and the multitude of the people who were there present cried aloud: "Great is the God of the Christians!" And marveling at this, we cry out to thee:

Rejoice, for having embraced the immaterial life, thou didst bravely surrender the beauty of thy body to be laid waste;

Rejoice, for on thy body thou didst cause the radiance of God to blossom forth!

Rejoice, for thou didst give thine unblemished body over to divers grievous torments out of love for thy Creator;

Rejoice, for in the strength of that love thou wast shown to be victorious, uncowed by fear or the cruelty of torture!

Rejoice, for in divinely wise manner thou didst prefer to receive grievous beatings on thy body, for the sake of the superiority of spiritual comeliness;

Rejoice, for through the wounds thou didst suffer for Christ's sake thou didst desire to be adorned in vesture of truly royal purple!

Rejoice, for thou didst prevail over the sly words and temptations of the tyrant;

Rejoice, for thou didst cut down the cruel one's hopes of weakening the strength of thy resolve!

Rejoice, O martyr, sight precious and marvelous to the angels;

Rejoice, glory of companies of athletes!

Rejoice, splendid victory over the foe;

Rejoice, fear of the infidels!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 8

Beholding the strange renunciation of glory and the suffering for Christ of the empress, the general and his soldiers, let us betake ourselves far away from the world and the flesh, and soar aloft to the knowledge of God. For He is the beauty, the glory and crown of us who sing: Alleluia!

  

Ikos 8

Jesus became for thee thy whole delight and desire, O holy Catherine; for thou didst sweetly endure bitter torment for His sake, and didst trample underfoot the scepter offered thee, preferring the recompense that is to come. Wherefore, accept from us these praises:

Rejoice, for through thy divinely wise teachings the empress, believing, made haste to piety;

Rejoice, for, having endured the painful tearing away of her breasts and decapitation by the sword, through thee she was manifestly deemed worthy of the everlasting kingdom of heaven!

Rejoice, most radiant moon, driving away the gloom of unbelief from those who walk by night;

Rejoice, thou who didst illumine the companies of soldiers, benighted by idolatry, with thy virtues as with the rays of the sun!

Rejoice, dove of the comely Bridegroom that sang in the wilderness of this world below;

Rejoice, thou who didst gladden the Master of the heavenly hosts with the sweet song of thy confession!

Rejoice, thou who didst perfume the garments of Christ with sweet fragrance;
Rejoice, thou who didst seek Him Who was begotten before the everlasting hills like a hart upon the mountains of spices!
Rejoice, for thou didst sail easily and swiftly over the tumult of the sea of this world;
Rejoice, for thou didst arrive at the calm haven of ever-blessed life!
Rejoice, for by the salvation of those who were close to thee didst thou send great and divers riches before thee unto Christ;
Rejoice, for thou didst undertake the struggle of suffering out of love for Christ!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 9

Every angelic being was gladdened with joy, beholding thee, O most glorious Catherine, victorious over the dark prince of this world; and it welcomed thee into the heavens as a triumphant commander preceded by a company of martyrs, and chanted hymns of victory, crying aloud to God: Alleluia!

  

Ikos 9

The lips of the most eloquent of orators were stopped, for they were unable to gainsay thy words, and in silence they rendered honor to thy gifts. And although we are weak, yet do we dare to open our lips in thy praise, offering to thee this hymn:

Rejoice, melodious instrument of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, thou who didst acquire the mind of Christ!
Rejoice, ray of ineffable splendor;
Rejoice, thou who didst make plain divine dogmas!
Rejoice, adornment and confirmation of the city of Alexandria; rejoice, beauty and boast of Mount Sinai!
Rejoice, thou who didst imitate the zeal of Elijah;
Rejoice, thou who by the purity of thy soul and body didst reveal the unburnt bush!
Rejoice, thou who didst in purity love Him Who is pure;
Rejoice, O most glorious one who dost release those held captive by the dark foe!
Rejoice, thou who art resplendent with the comeliness of virginity and dost perfume martyrdom with the graces;
Rejoice, boast of martyrs and teacher of piety!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 10

Desiring to save thy soul, thou didst disdain thy body, O Catherine, and having given the tyrant thy consent to be beheaded, thou didst joyously depart hence, chanting to Christ God, thine immortal Bridegroom: Alleluia!

  

St. Catherine the Great Martyr (source)

  

Ikos 10  

A firm and unassailable bulwark didst thou show thyself to the women who accompanied thee and with lamentation called thee hard-hearted and indifferent to thyself, O bride of Christ, for thou didst not spare thy tender life in the bloom of its youth, in that thou didst spurn the earthly kingdom and goods offered thee. But thou didst forbid their unprofitable wailing and vain words, hastening all the more swiftly to unite thyself to thy Beloved through death; and for His sake thou hearest such things as these cried aloud:

Rejoice, thou who didst gladly bow thy head beneath the sword for the sake of Christ, the Head of the Church;
Rejoice, thou who with patience didst bring to a goodly end the course of thy struggle!
Rejoice, thou who wast not dissuaded from the path of the confession of Christ by tribulation, wounds or the sword;
Rejoice, thou who didst preserve the flame of love unquenched amid the streams of thy blood
Rejoice, good virgin maiden, for didst thou magnificently adorn thyself with most sacred sufferings;
Rejoice, for as was meet thou didst enter into the heavenly bridal chamber of Christ!
Rejoice, most radiant maiden, for, having loved the One thou didst desire, thou didst follow after Him, completing a most difficult course;
Rejoice, for by thy blood thou didst manifestly cry out to Christ thy Bridegroom: "I flee to the fragrance of Thy noetic myrrh which hath flowed forth, O my Bridegroom"!
Rejoice, for thou didst retire to splendid mansions, arrayed in bridal vesture, holding a virgin's lamp in thy right hand, and thy decapitated head in thy left;
Rejoice, for thy divinely wise prayer was acceptable to God; for those who call upon thy name with faith doth the Master save from temptations, granting them good health and delivering them from afflictions of soul and body!
Rejoice, adornment of martyrs; rejoice, mighty refuge of Christians!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 11

We have dared to offer thee hymnody of praise, and if it be that discourse faileth, the mind is at a loss what to say; yet thy most wise discourse, which rescued many from ignorance and the infamy of idolatry, moves us to chant to God, Who rendered thy mighty deeds wondrous: Alleluia!

  

Ikos 11

Beholding thee to be a luminous candle extinguished by decapitation, yet set up radiant upon a heavenly candlestick before the throne of the Holy Trinity, the holy angels worshipped Him Who liveth forever; and having received a command from the Master, they buried thy virginal body on Mount Sinai, that, as thou thyself didst desire, it not be seen by the enemies of the Lord. And we joyously send up this hymn to thee:

Rejoice, sun-like virgin who ascended to the heavens in spirit;
Rejoice, thou who didst attain unto the heavenly Zion!
Rejoice, crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord;
Rejoice, cup drawing forth joy from the abundance of the house of God!
Rejoice, thou who didst draw nigh in spirit to the everlasting tabernacle not fashioned by the hands of men;
Rejoice, for in thine incorrupt body thou dost rest on the mountain of the law, where the movement of the God of Sinai had been seen!
Rejoice, O virgin who hast followed in the train of the ruling Virgin Queen who is arrayed in vesture of unwoven gold, adorned in varied colors;
Rejoice, for through thee is the Mother of Life worthily hymned in the midst of timbrel-playing maidens!
Rejoice, for on thee shineth the majesty of Christ God; rejoice, intercessor before the eternal throne
Rejoice, thou who from the temple of the universe dost watch over those who pray to thee;
Rejoice, incense of prayers, offered up in our behalf, being well-pleasing to the Master!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 12

Grace hath been given thee by God to guide men to the knowledge of His truth which is hidden in mystery, and to grant unto all those requests which are profitable. Wherefore, we entreat thee with compunction, O wise virgin: illumine the eyes of our minds and set forth for us a passable way to heaven, that with thee we may hymn the one Source of wisdom, now and for all ages, chanting: Alleluia!

  

Ikos 12

Hymning the mighty struggles of thy martyrdom, we praise thee as an animate vessel of the salvation of men; for through thy knowledge God, refuting the wisdom of the wise of this age, called the wise orators into the holy people, the people of the renewal, for they were to suffer for Christ. Wherefore, O good virgin, draw us also who are benighted into the light of Christ, that we may cry out to thee:

Rejoice, mirror of the wisdom of God;
Rejoice, thou who hast been arrayed with the power of the Most High!
Rejoice, athlete anointed with the oil of gladness;
Rejoice, commander who sent forth the company of God to eternal greatness!
Rejoice, thou who hast entered into the splendor of the saints;
Rejoice, thou who standest in the choir of fiery servants, before Him Who dwelleth in light unapproachable!
Rejoice, thou who with thy voice dost increase the thunder of the thrice-holy hymn;
Rejoice, thou who tastest of the ineffable sweetness of the good things of paradise!
Rejoice, for praise and joy are above thy head;
Rejoice, for everlasting glory illumineth thee!
Rejoice, thou who hast been crowned with the crown of the kingdom of heaven by the Godhead in Three Hypostases; rejoice, mediatress of grace and endless glory for us!

Rejoice, O Catherine, most wise bride of Christ!

  

Kontakion 13

O holy great martyr Catherine! Receiving this hymn of praise, never cease to pray to the Lord in our behalf, that He deliver us from our enemies, visible and invisible; and by thy right acceptable mediation vouchsafe unto us the everlasting kingdom, that with thee we may chant unto God: Alleluia!

  

St. Catherine the Great Martyr (source)

  

First Prayer to the Great Martyr Catherine

O holy Catherine, virgin and martyr, true bride of Christ! We beseech thee as one who received a special grace whereby sweetest Jesus, thy Bridegroom, appeared to thee, that having put to shame the tyrant's deceits by thy wisdom and vanquished the fifty rhetoricians, giving them heavenly doctrine whereof to partake and leading them to the light of the true Faith, thou mightest likewise ask for us that same wisdom of God, that we also, having rent asunder all the snares of the tyrant of hades, and spurned the temptations of the world and the flesh, may show ourselves to be worthy of divine glory, may be made vessels meet for the spread of our holy Orthodox Faith, and that in the tabernacle of heaven we may with thee praise and glorify our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, unto all ages. Amen.

  

Second Prayer to the Great Martyr Catherine

O holy great martyr Catherine, chosen vessel of purity, pillar of Orthodoxy, our intercessor of good cheer, struggler for the law, saint who sleepest a holy sleep on the holy mountain! Because thou thyself hast revealed to Christians that they should ever pray to thee, we earnestly entreat thee: looking down from on high, hearken unto the sound of our supplication, mercifully regard the misfortunes of us sinners, visit the gloom of our minds, cause us to think of heavenly things and not of those of earth. By thine intercessions make haste to overcome the lusts of our flesh, our passionate attachment to the world and the wiles of the evil spirits who with malice wage war against us; that by thine intercession we may be shown to be free of their malicious assaults in the days of this life and from their aerial interrogations after our departure. O all-wise virgin, grant us all that we ask which is profitable, for thou canst ask many things of thy beloved Bridegroom, Christ our God. We know that the prayer of a righteous man availeth much when it worketh with the goodness of the merciful God, to Whom be glory, honor and thanksgiving, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

  

Troparion, tone 4

Your lamb Catherine, O Jesus, Calls out to You in a loud voice: I love You, O my bridegroom, And in seeking You, I endure suffering. In Baptism I was crucified so that I might reign in You, And died so that I might live with You. Accept me as a pure sacrifice, For I have offered myself in love. By her prayers save our souls, since You are merciful.

(source)
  

St. Catherine's body being brought to Mount Sinai where it exists to this day (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!