Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women with the Noble Joseph
Troparion — Tone 2
The comely Joseph, / when he had taken down Your most pure Body from the tree, / wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices, / and placed it in a new tomb. / But You rose on the third day, O Lord, / granting the world great mercy.
Troparion — Tone 2
Appearing to the Myrrh-bearing Women at the tomb, the Angel exclaimed: / “Myrrh is meet for the dead; / but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption. / So proclaim: ‘The Lord is risen, granting the world great mercy.’”
Troparion — Tone 4
(Podoben: “You appeared to your flock as a rule of faith...”)
You visited Christ the Lord in the night, / and were born from above1 being received, as it were, as a secret Apostle. / With good courage you disputed with the Pharisees and Scribes2 / and followed the Savior. / Taking Him dead from the Cross, / you wrapped Him in cloths with myrrh and laid Him in the tomb, / O fervent3 Νikόdēmos.
1 John 3:3
2 John 7:50
3 or zealous
Kontakion — Tone 2
When You proclaimed “Rejoice” to the Myrrhbearers, / You caused the lamentation of the foremother Eve to cease by Your Resurrection; O Christ God; / commanding Your Apostles to proclaim: / “The Savior is risen from the tomb.”
Great Martyr Irene
Troparion — Tone 1
(Podoben: “When the stone had been sealed...”)
Christ called you Irene, because you grant peace to those hastening to your holy temple with hymns and spiritual songs, / for you intercede for all, standing before the Three-Sunned Divinity, / Let everyone celebrate her memory joyously, magnifying Christ, Who glorified her.
Kontakion — Tone 3
(Podoben: “Today the Virgin...”)
Adorned with the beauty of virginity, / you became most beautiful in your brave contest, O Irene; / you were reddened by the blood which you shed, / and you overthrew ungodly error; / therefore, you received the prize of victory from the hand of your Creator.
Uncovering of the relics of Venerable James, Abbot of Zhelezny Bor
Troparion — Tone 8
By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile, / and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance. / By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe! / O our holy father James, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!
New Martyr Ephraim
Troparion — Tone 1
(Podoben: “O citizen of the desert...”)
You shone forth like the sun on Mount Amómon, O God-bearer, / and through martyrdom you departed unto God. / You endured the invasion of the barbarians, O Ephraim, Great Martyr of Christ. / Therefore, you gush forth grace forever to those who devoutly call upon you. / Glory to Him Who gave you strength. / Glory to Him Who magnified you. / Glory to Him Who, through you, grants healing to all.
Kontakion — Tone 3
(Podoben: “Today the Virgin gives birth...”)
You contested on Mount Amómon, O godly-minded one, / and in this you followed the path of martyrdom. / Therefore, the Giver of Life has appropriately crowned you with double crowns.1 / O Hieromartyr Ephraim, / we entreat you earnestly to have mercy upon those who honor you.
1 That of a priest, and that of a Great Martyr.
Inexhastible Chalice Icon of the Mother of God
Troparion — Tone 4
O believers, let us turn today to the Divine and wonderworking Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, / who fills the hearts of the faithful with her mercy from the heavenly Ineffable Chalice, and shows them miracles; / seeing and hearing about these, / we celebrate spiritually and fervently exclaim: / “Most merciful Sovereign Lady, / heal our illnesses and passions, / entreating your Son Christ God to save our souls.”
Kontakion — Tone 4
Your womb was a Holy Throne, containing Christ God, the Heavenly Bread,1 / whoever eats it will not die;2 as the Nourisher of all, / the Theotokos, has said.
1 John 6:35.
2 John 6:54.
Venerable Barlaam of Serpukhov
Troparion — Tone 3
Taught to please God by Metropolitan Alexei, / you adorned your soul with virtues, and therefore you were the chosen one of the Mother of God, / and you founded a monastery dedicated to the Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple, / for the salvation of many human souls. / As a good instructor of monastics, and a fervent intercessor with God for us, / O Venerable Barlaam, our Father, / pray for the salvation of our souls.
Kontakion — Tone 8
O Venerable Father Barlaam, although your revered relics are kept hidden, / they pour forth bright rays of miracles and healings / for all who turn to you with faith and pray zealously to you; / for you appeared as a true God-pleaser, / ever interceding for all who lovingly honor your holy memory.