Great and Holy Saturday
Troparion — Tone 2
The Noble 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.
Troparion — Tone 2
When You descended to death, O Life Immortal, / You slayed hell with the splendor of Your Godhead, / and when from the depths You raised the dead, / all the Powers of Heaven cried out, / O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to You!
Troparion — Tone 2
The Angel came to the myrrh-bearing women at the tomb and said: / “Myrrh is fitting for the dead, / but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption.”
Kontakion — Tone 6
He who shut in the depths is beheld dead, / wrapped in fine linen and spices. / The Immortal One is laid in a tomb as a mortal man. / The women have come to anoint Him with myrrh, / weeping bitterly and crying: / “This is the most blessed Sabbath / on which Christ has fallen asleep to rise on the third day!”
Saint Matrona of Moscow
Troparion — Tone 4
Offspring of the land of Tula, angelic ascetic of the city of Moscow, blessed Eldress Matrona. / You remained blind from birth until the end of your life, / but you received spiritual sight, clairvoyance, and intercession from God. / Most of all, you received the gift of healing the spiritual and bodily illnesses / of all who come to you and ask you with faith, O our joy.
Troparion — Tone 2
Today, O faithful, let us glorify the divinely-wise blessed Eldress Matrona, / who blossomed in the land of Tula and who gloriously adorned the city of Moscow; / for she, not knowing the light of day, / was illumined by the light of Christ and was enriched with the gift of healing. / Having been a migrant and a wanderer on earth, / now, in the heavenly Bridal Chamber, she stands before God's throne and prays for our souls.
Kontakion — Tone 7
Called to serve Christ from your mother’s womb, O righteous Matrona, / you walked the path of sorrows and tribulations, / showing steadfast faith and piety, / you were well pleasing to God. / Therefore, honoring your memory, we pray to you: / Help us to abide in the love of God, O blessed eldress!
Saint Athanasius the Great, Patriarch of Alexandria
Troparion — Tone 3
(Podoben: “The Divine Faith...”)
You were a pillar of Orthodoxy, O Hierarch Athanasios, / supporting the Church with divine doctrines; / you
proclaimed the Son to be of one Essence with the Father, / putting Arius to shame. / O Righteous Father,
entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy.
Kontakion — Tone 2
(Podoben: “With the streams of your blood...”)
Having planted the dogmas of Orthodoxy, / you cut out the thorns of false doctrine, / and multiplied the
seed of faith with the rain of the Spirit; / therefore, we praise you O righteous Athanasios.
Translation of the Relics of the Holy Passionbearers Boris and Gleb (in Baptism Roman and David—1072 and 1115)
Troparion — Tone 2
Righteous passion-bearers and true fulfillers of the Gospel of Christ, / chaste Boris and guileless Gleb, / you did not resist the attacks of your brother, the enemy, / when he killed your bodies but could not touch your souls. / Therefore, let the evil lover of power mourn / while you rejoice with the angels standing before the Holy Trinity. / Pray that those who honor your memory may be pleasing to God, / and that all Orthodox Christians may be saved.
Kontakion — Tone 3
Today your most glorious memory shines forth, / noble participants in the passion of Christ, holy Boris and Gleb, / for you call us together to sing praises to Christ our God! / Praying to Him before your sacred images, / we receive the gift of healing by your prayers, / for you are indeed divine healers.
Saint Athanasius of Lubensk, Patriarch of Constantinople
Troparion — Tone 4
In truth you were revealed to your flock as a rule of faith, / an image of humility and a teacher of abstinence; / your humility exalted you; / your poverty enriched you. / Hierarch Father Athanasius, / entreat Christ our God / that our souls may be saved.
Martyr Hesperus with his wife and sons at Attalia
Troparion — Tone 4
Your holy martyrs, O Lord, / through their sufferings have received an incorruptible crown from You, our God. / For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries, / and shattered the powerless boldness of demons. / Through their intercessions, save our souls!