Elder Vasilios of Iveron on Pascha 2020

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

The Resurrection of Christ (source)

"This year, the Resurrection tells us many things. If it is true what we believe, and if we are living that which we chant, that "we celebrate the death of death, the deposition of Hades, and the beginning of another, eternal life" (Canon of Pascha), then we would fear for nothing. And every single threat increases the power of the presence of the risen Lord.

"That which occurred this year with the Coronavirus is a temptation, but all temptations are transformed into blessings. We chant "let us say, O brethren, even to those who hate us." (Doxastikon of Pascha) And those who hate us are waiting for our love, and those who do not believe are waiting for the power of our faith. Therefore, if one believes, through this trial he has celebrated the best Pascha this year. In order to have the best Pascha at the time when you cannot celebrate Pascha, one must sense the power of the Risen One, and thus have community with all men.

"And while a temptation such as an illness can create problems, it can reveal the presence of the risen Lord. Amidst the messages and from within the souls of all men comes forth a consolation. The hymn of Kassiane says: "Who can recount the multitude of my sins, and the abysses of Your judgments, my soul-saving Savior?" On the one hand, there is the totality of sins and weaknesses. And on the other hand, there is an abyss of compassions, a bottomless ocean, where storms occur not just to clean out the debris that has accumulated in the lakes, but also to pour forth the element of healing.

"Therefore, the Church rejoices even more at the presence of the Risen One through this trial. And at the same time is also tested the material strength of our faith, and reveals the weakness of him who does not believe, but also, he who believes in himself and in his virtue. Therefore we have this current phenomenon. Some of the faithful--I don't know how to name them--trying to give consolation, condemn. They condemn the Church, and in essence, they reveal their own weakness. Therefore, let us thank the risen Christ, His Mother the Most-Holy Theotokos, and all the Saints who hold within them the Paradise of life.

"Let us entreat Christ to strengthen the truth of our humility, in other words, for us to sense our own weakness until our whole self is Christ. And then we can say together with the Apostle Paul: "For whether we live or die, we are with the Lord." Either we are living, or we are dead in the flesh, but our life is Christ. Therefore, "Christ is risen, and life reigns, Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the tomb." (Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom) To Him belongs the glory and the might unto the ages of ages. Amen."
-Elder Vasilios (Gontikakis), former Abbot of Iveron Monastery, Mount Athos
(source)
  

Christ is risen from the death, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

Photios Kontoglou: "Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord"

Christ raising Lazarus, by Photios Kontoglou (source)

  
Photios Kontoglou: "Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord"
He Whose throne is heaven, and Whose footstool is the earth, the Son of God and His Logos, Who is eternal with Him, today humbles Himself, and comes to Bethany on a little donkey.

And the children of the Hebrews received Him, crying out: "Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He Who comes, the King of Israel."

The warlords of the world, when they would finish a war and threw down their enemies, they would return glorified, and sitting on golden chariots to enter their city. Before them would go the trumpets and flags and brave generals and a multitude of soldiers, covered with iron armor and bearing weapons around a chariot that was filled with many pieces of armor and swords and spears that remained from the conquered nation.

Similar things like these were the great nails that they used in the Crucifixion of our Savior Jesus Christ!

All of these warriors were iron-clad like wild beasts, their heads locked within fearsome helmets, their spears and hairy hands were bloodied from war, their strong legs walked proudly and stretched, like a lion that tore apart a deer with its claws and stretches with roars and frightens the world.

Later would come the golden chariot of the warlord, where he would sit on a throne, adorned with precious stones, proud, haughty, fearsome, who could not be looked upon in the eye without averting one's gaze, carrying his terrible scepter, whose every movement of his command was an order, without opening the mouth of the one holding it.

Horses on that day, were harnessed to that chariot, with gold-embroidered straps with carousels and they also walked pompously and proudly like the humans. A beautiful girl, like a fairy, was decorated, holding a golden crown above the head of the champion, and other girls and boys tossed incense and other spices in great censers shaped like candelabras.

Behind them came the men and women who were taken as slaves, who were sick and wounded, and they were being dragged by the soldiers who struck them.

As much glory as the people had in front, so much disdain and misfortune had those who followed behind. They were bound with ropes and chains, many were pierced, tattered, wounded, jaundiced and half-dead, from their martyrdoms and from their vigils. Many were half-naked and their backs were darkened from the whips. Among them were women, ashamed virgins, stolen mothers with their innocent children in their hands, elderly who were holding on to their grandchildren by the hand, all traumatized like lamps going to the marketplace. Around them, the world grew insane and cried out, glorifying the victor, with many mouths foaming. A cry rose like smoke above the whole city. This scene, they called a "triumph."

One such triumph is performed today by Christ, the Price of Peace and of Love. However, He has changed all the rest and turned it upside down from what men were used to, and thus, His triumph is the triumph of poverty and humility.

The Roman ruler was seated upon a throne and golden chariot, but Christ is seated on a little donkey, possibly among the most humble and disdained among the animals.

And He Himself was humble, meek, silent, poorly-dressed, as the Prophecy which says: "Say to the daughter of Zion: Behold your King is coming, meek and having salvation is He, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." (Zachariah 9:9) His hand had never held a scepter, but blessed the world. He Himself is returning from war, but a war much more difficult to win, a war against evil and falsehood and hypocrisy and love of money.

And He was not going to rest from that war, but was going to begin another, even harder, to be crowned with a crown of thorns, and to be beaten and to mocked, and in the end, to be nailed upon a Cross like an evil-doer.

He was not surrounded by wild servants, but by innocent fishermen, who were disdained like Him. And He neither carried behind Him slaves that He tyrannized, but men whom He freed from the slavery of the Devil, and the dead whom He had raised through His voice.

They did not blare trumpets and drums to glorify Him, but innocent children, which symbolized the simplicity which Christians have, cried out: "Blessed is He Who comes", and instead of holding flags waved the green branches of trees. Verdant branches and clothes strewn on the road for the donkey to walk over.

And this blessed donkey, with a bowed head, humble, ignorant, bore Christ Who was sitting on its back, Whom the fiery six-winged Seraphim stand about with fear. He was not carried by a golden chariot, nor a prized stallion, nor even a seat held by others, but by a little donkey. What eye does not shed a tear and is not astonished by this mystery!

Christ overturned what sinful man saw regarding what is right and true. Who, however, is in the position to sense the freedom which He brings us, and would follow the donkey, and not the fine horses that glow proudly, which enter Rome with many idols, instead of entering together into the kingdom of Peace, the Jerusalem on high?

Many "serious" people, one could say, did not understand this, saying that the children where childish, and the men were manly. The same was said by the high priests, men of authority: But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant;  and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast brought perfect praise’?” And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there." (Matthew 21:15-17)

The chief priests and the scribes had read the Psalm of David which said how the Christ would be met by the babes and they did not believe Him Whom they hymned. And if we have read today's Gospel and the Psalm and what Christ said to the Hebrews, would we not be judged more strictly than if we had not believed Him? Our vanity and our pride prevent us from going along His poor path, and we are ashamed to follow a leader Who is riding upon a donkey. We don't want the humble, the poor. Can one become a Christian who does not love that which Christ loved?

Yesterday, Saturday, He raised a dead man, Lazaros. Who was this Lazaros? Was he a notable, famous person? Lazaros was a poor villager, but as the Gospel says, he was a friend of Christ, Who would have all men as His friends.

The Gospel notes that Christ had a friend in the world, and that he was poor and unlearned. But who among us loves this rich poverty of Christ? Where Christ is missing, there is the true poverty, because where Christ is missing, there is also missing true life and death rules. This you would understand well if you look around you and ponder. Where are those almighty Roman leaders who made their triumphant entry, as we described above?  What happened to them, and the myriads that worshiped them and knelt before them like the reeds before the north wind? Who brings to mind those who wrote the history of that time?

Bodies, souls, thrones, diamonds, horses, pride, horrors, voices, all fell into a pit and were lost and extinguished as if they had never been drunk. And what is left of all this in people's hearts? Nothing and even less than nothing.

But man is unfaithful even to what he sees and what he grasps with his hands, and he pulls the path that they have taken, and he happily drags Nero's chariot, because "his neck is iron." His ears are pricked by Him Who says: "I am God, the first and the last, I am. I nourish my sheep and I will give them rest." He Who was sitting upon the donkey, it is He Who remains alive within simple souls unto the ages, and is for them a source of nourishment, a source of immortality, joy and delight, according to the words that say: "The heart of those who seek the Lord shall rejoice."

Yes, whoever senses the joy of Christ, is like that dead man [Lazaros] who was raised. There are many kinds of pain in the world. Those who suffer in body and soul, their pain cleanses them and takes them to God, and these are the beloved ones of Christ and walk in His army with His consoling light. The others suffer futily. That is why the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting; for you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.  For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death." (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).

For those who hope in God, Christ transforms their futile sweat into sweat of salvation "a refreshing sweat", but we mourn and are pained in every way like the idolaters, slaughtered by the knives of fate. They did not allow their sweat of agony to become transformed into sweat of prayer and hope.

Whoever does not believe in Christ and in the Gospel is dead, as no true life exists within him. Because life does not mean to breath and to walk and to eat and drink, but to sense the grace of immortality. Then, one can chant together with that exceptional hymn that is the Apolytikion:

"By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your passion, You did confirm the universal Resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with the palms of victory,  we cry out to You, O Vanquisher of death; Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!

(source)

  

Christ entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (source)

  

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

"O Lord, Who fought alongside the greatly-meek David..."

The Holy Cross of Christ (source)

  
O Lord, Who fought alongside the greatly-meek David, warring together with Your faithful people against the foreign king, through the weapon of Your Cross, depose our enemies, and show forth Your ancient mercies upon us, O Compassionate One, that they may truly know that You are God, and through hope in You we will be victorious, and through the intercessions of Your Spotless Mother, grant us the great mercy.
-Doxastikon from the Aposticha of Great Vespers for the Veneration of the Cross

(source)

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

St. John Maximovitch on Struggle and Victory in Christ

Jesus Christ crucified (source)

  
God’s grace always assists those who struggle, but this does not mean that a struggler is always in the position of a victor. Sometimes in the arena the wild animals did not touch the righteous ones, but by no means were they all preserved untouched.
What is important is not victory or the position of a victor, but rather the labor of striving towards God and devotion to Him.
Though a man may be found in a weak state, that does not at all mean that he has been abandoned by God. On the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ was in trouble, as the world sees things. But when the sinful world considered Him to be completely destroyed, in fact He was victorious over death and hades. The Lord did not promise us positions as victors as a reward for righteousness, but told us, “In the world you will have tribulation — but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33).
The power of God is effective when a person asks for the help from God, acknowledging his own weakness and sinfulness. This is why humility and the striving towards God are the fundamental virtues of a Christian.
+ St. John Maximovitch

(source)
  

St. John Maximovitch the Wonderworker (source)

  

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

Akathist to St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer, the Wonderworker

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Akathist to St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer, the Wonderworker
Begin with the usual introductory prayers….Heavenly Comforter….Holy God, Holy and Mighty…etc. During the Easter season, begin with Christ is Risen… (3x)
  
Kontakion 1
To you, O champion leader and victorious Saint George, we offer a hymn of praise as our intercessor and speedy helper. Holy Great Martyr, as one who has boldness before the Lord, deliver us from dangers of all kinds that we may cry unto you: Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Ikos 1
The Creator of angels and Maker of all creation has revealed you to His Church as a guardian and passion-bearer for the faith. You are an inspiration for us, and we lift up praises to you for the ascetic labors of your sufferings, Saint George, in this manner: Rejoice, you who loved unto the end Jesus, the Son of God.
Rejoice, you who laid down your life with love for His Name.
Rejoice, confessor called forth by God.
Rejoice, spiritual athlete glorified by the grace of God.
Rejoice, you who dwelled with the angels.
Rejoice, you who are the equal of the prophets.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 2
Beholding how the wicked idolaters were persecuting the Christians, You did not fear their wiles and tortures, divinely wise George. As a good soldier of Christ, you distributed all your possessions among the poor and then voluntarily ran to that ungodly gathering, singing unto Christ, your commander and God: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great-Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 2
Mentally comprehending the One God divinely worshipped in Three Persons, with a firm mind You confessed Him before the assembly of the ungodly. Thus, you exposed the unwise king’s foolish worship of creation. In admiration of your lofty love of wisdom, Saint George, accept from us these fervent praises:
Rejoice, wise preacher of the One True God.
Rejoice, faithful advocate of the All-Holy Trinity.
Rejoice, you who manifest the great mystery of the True Faith unto the unbelievers.
Rejoice, you who exposed the deception of idol worship.
Rejoice, revelation of holy wisdom.
Rejoice, image of divine inspiration.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 3
  The power of God, which enlightens every man that comes into the world, visited you also, while you were suffering in prison, O George wise in humility. You despised all the corruptible things of this life as chaff. You faithfully held unto Christ alone, so that after fighting the good fight for His Name, you might be granted eternally to chant with the angels: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 3
Possessing a mind and heart enlightened by the Holy Spirit, by His inspiration you fervently struggled for the Name of Christ, even unto blood. Standing courageously in the faith, you exposed the puffed-up pride of the ungodly congregation. Let us, then, come to you, most wonderful George, singing praises unto you:
Rejoice, shield lifted for preservation of piety.
Rejoice, sword raised for the beheading of evil.
Rejoice, confirmation of the Christian Church.
Rejoice, comfort of those gathered in prayer.
Rejoice, encouragement of the faithful.
Rejoice, fear and disgrace of the unbelievers.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 4
  The mad persecutor, breathing murder against you, O passion-bearer George, longed for your blood like a thirsty dog, ordering your body stretched out on a wheel and giving you over unto the most evil torments. Then you, taking strength in the Lord, with hope and trust in God, cried aloud: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 4
When Diocletian and the priest of the idols heard words of wisdom from you, they were enraged with hatred for you, and even more so when you said: O tormenting king, why do you torture me in vain? For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The faithful therefore humbly cry unto you, O George of great fame, in this way:
Rejoice, you who shed your blood upon the wheel for your courageous confession of the Faith.
Rejoice, you who magnified the triumph of the Faith by your blood.
Rejoice, zealot together with the apostles.
Rejoice, imitator of the voluntary Passion of Christ.
Rejoice, unshakable champion of the Faith.
Rejoice, passion-bearer harder than adamant.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 5
  You were as a star sent by God, O Saint George, for with your miraculous healing and release from the wheel by an angel before the eyes of all, you enlightened the unbelievers to believe in the Trinity in One Essence, and to sing unto Him together with you: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 5
  The people beheld the miracles of the power of God so clearly taking place in you, and meekly accepted the teaching of Christ from you. They cried aloud, saying: Truly great is the God of the Christians. It is fitting that we also sing praises unto you, George worthy of glory, and so we cry out:
Rejoice, you who dispersed the darkness of unbelief by the radiant word of salvation.
Rejoice, you who converted unbelievers to Christ by your martyr’s confession of faith.
Rejoice, you who lead legions of earthly soldiers unto the heavenly army.
Rejoice, you who dwelled with the heavenly hosts as a soldier of Christ.
Rejoice, glory of courageous soldiers.
Rejoice, beauty of the all-radiant choirs of martyrs.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 6
  Zealous in faith, like unto those Spirit-bearing preachers, the apostles, you were crucified unto the world, O Martyr George. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea monster, you were hurled headlong into the furnace of the lime pit so that through your life might be manifested the glory of the Lord Who is wondrous in His saints. Then, in the lime pit as in a temple of glory, you noetically cry out: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 6
  Having shone forth in His Resurrection from the tomb on the third day, Jesus, the Almighty Conqueror of hades and death, saved you from corruption, O victorious George. After three days you were found alive in the lime pit, with your hands lifted and singing unto God. The ungodly were sorely afraid and stricken with terror, but we rejoice and compose a hymn of victory unto you:
Rejoice, you who cast down the puffed-up pride of the devil by your being cast down in disgrace into the lime pit.
Rejoice, you who overcame the persecutor’s bestiality by your miraculous salvation from God.
Rejoice, for as one without guile, you prayed as for benefactors for those who worked evil against you.
Rejoice, for you were zealous for their conversion as Paul was for the Jews.
Rejoice, man of spiritual desires.
Rejoice, victor through the power of Christ.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 7
Desiring by any means to ensnare your heart for service to the idols, the wicked persecutor contrived to mislead you by magical spells. Therein you, chosen of God, cry out with David: In God is my salvation and my glory, and faithfully chant unto Him: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 7
  That evil servant of Satan, Diocletian, revealed a new villainy. In his insane zeal for the idols, he ordered you to be given poison, Saint George, but you were filled with faith and hope. Even though you drank the deadly poison, yet you remain unharmed, O praised-one of God. We marvel at your holiness and sing unto you:
Rejoice, for you were not disgraced by your hope in the living God.
Rejoice, for you counted your torment as nothing.
Rejoice, expeller of soul-destroying demons.
Rejoice, destroyer of the wiles of magicians.
Rejoice, through you God is shown to be wondrous in His saints.
Rejoice, through you the Name of Christ is piously glorified.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 8
  There came to the wicked king a strange and terrible counsel from a certain wizard: that he command you, as proof of the truth of the Christian Faith, by your word to resurrect a dead man. You, Saint George, having no doubt whatsoever, sang unto Him Who is not the God of the dead but the God of the living: Alleluia.
  

St. George with his parents (source)

  
Ikos 8
The all-desirable and Sweetest Jesus, Whom You loved with all your soul and heart, most blessed George, attended to the fervent prayer of your faith and speedily commanded the resurrection of the dead man at your word. This was to the glorification of His Name and the confirmation of the faithful, so that the unbelievers and the blind might be astounded and thereby gain knowledge of God. For this reason, we dutifully cry unto you:
Rejoice, through you the Lord of Hosts manifested wonders.
Rejoice, through you He resurrected a dead man from the tomb.
Rejoice, you who grant the mental vision of faith unto the blinded wizard.
Rejoice, you who showed the way to the Holy of Holies unto many who suffered for Christ.
Rejoice, astonishment of Rome.
Rejoice, exaltation of the Christian race.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 9
  All the angels rendered praise unto God, Who granted you such courage, victorious George, that even when locked up in prison you did not cease to keep vigil in prayer. As a great communicant of the mystery of divine grace, you were vouchsafed to behold the Lord in a vision. He crowned your head with the crown of incorruption, so that we might cry out with you: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 9
  The learned orators are unable with their rhetorical tongues to render worthy praises unto you, Martyr George, for your labors and sufferings which you assumed voluntarily for Christ and the Church. We also, not knowing how to properly praise you, chant this hymn with faith:
Rejoice, by your voluntary suffering for Christ and the Church you crucified the old Adam in yourself.
Rejoice, by your courageous suffering you receive a crown of righteousness from the Lord.
Rejoice, rule of pious zeal.
Rejoice, model of self-sacrifice.
Rejoice, for you pleased not yourself, but Christ alone.
Rejoice, for you were prepared for any form of death for the sake of your Savior, Christ.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 10
  Desiring to save the souls perishing in idolatry, O Saint George, lover of God, you were zealous for God like Elias. Entering the temple of the idols, by the power of God you drove out the demons, shattering the idols and putting their priests to shame. Thereafter as conqueror, not with men but with angels, you chant unto God: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Trophy-bearer, surrounded by St. Polychronia his mother, and St. Alexandra whom he helped bring to Christ (source)

  
Ikos 10
  More unfeeling than a wall, your hard-hearted tormentor, O Great Martyr, did not see God, Who so clearly worked miracles through you, but to the end remained as an asp, stopping his ears. He commanded you to be executed as a criminal by beheading. Though grieving over the loss of his soul, you joyfully accepted your end, for which we praise you with love in this manner:
Rejoice, you who kept faith, hope and love unto the end.
Rejoice, you who worked many great miracles at your beheading.
Rejoice, you who were crowned to the glory of God’s goodwill toward those on earth.
Rejoice, you who were adorned with majesty in Heaven.
Rejoice, man of God.
Rejoice, good soldier of Christ.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
 
Kontakion 11
  You render a hymn unto the Most Holy Trinity exceeding others, holy Saint George, not in word and mind only, but by the living sacrifice of your whole self. Imitating Him Who was crucified for us, Christ the Lamb without blemish, you voluntarily laid down your life for your friends. Even though we are incapable of praising such courage as yours, for no man has greater love than this, yet being grateful we sing unto Him Who is wondrous in the saints: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 11
  You are a light-receiving lamp of the True Light to those on earth, Saint George, chosen of God, for You enlighten the hearts of the faithful and guide them all to divine understanding, instructing us also to joyfully cry aloud:
Rejoice, for you dwell in the all-radiant angelic mansions.
Rejoice, for you commune with the never-waning light of the Trinity not in a mirror, but face to face.
Rejoice, provider for the needy and defender of the wronged.
Rejoice, healer of the infirm and support of kings.
Rejoice, champion of faithful soldiers in battle.
Rejoice, fervent intercessor for the salvation of sinners.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 12
  Knowing the grace granted by God, we celebrate your memory, Great Martyr George. Running with fervent prayer to your miraculous icon, we are protected by your all-powerful help in the Lord as by an invincible wall. In praise of your aid to others, we fervently cry unto God: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 12
  Singing of your glorious end, by which you were magnified as a good soldier of Christ, we pray you, O passion-bearer and helper in all good for us: Protect us as we earnestly cry to you:
Rejoice, by you the Church of the faithful is enlightened.
Rejoice, for your name is praised even among the faithless.
Rejoice, wondrous glory of the confessors.
Rejoice, lofty praise of the martyrs.
Rejoice, protector of those who honor your memory.
Rejoice, deliverer of those who confess Christ God.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 13
Most blessed and holy Great Martyr George, accept our hymn of praise and deliver us from every evil by your fervent intercession unto God, so that we may sing with you: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. 12  
(Repeat Kontakion 13 three times.)
Repeat Kontakion 1 and Ikos 1.
  

Sts. George and Demetrios, among the first and greatest of the Great Martyrs of Christ (source)

  
A Prayer
Great Martyr George, we hasten to you for triumph over every torment and distress and over all pride and passion, that we may glorify Jesus Christ as zealous conquerors of this world and heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom. We acknowledge our unworthiness of such holy victory but, in praise of the courage, hope and trust which you have demonstrated throughout your life and into your martyrdom, we lovingly beseech your aid in battle against sin. Pray for us, Saint George, that we may be granted the grace to confess the Faith before others and to fulfill the Commandments under all circumstances and among all people. Let us witness of Christ the Lord that everyone might see His radiant light and believe in His holy teachings. Amen   
This prayer was adapted from https://akathistreconstructed.wordpress.com/george-great-martyr/, to which we are greatly appreciative. (source)
   

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!
Truly the Lord is risen!