Canon to the Holy Martyr Agatha

Irmos (Tone 2): Come, O people, let us sing a song to Christ God, Who divided the sea and led His people whom He brought out of the bondage of Egypt, for He is glorified.

Refrain: Holy Martyr Agatha, pray to God for us.

Desiring first the Cause of good things, thou wast accounted worthy, O Martyr, of the good-named calling. Thou didst foresee the goodness of the ineffable providence in the disposition of thy ways.

The pure one was taken up to the most radiant life, having despised fleshly reasoning, and looking steadfastly with strength toward her desired Bridegroom.

The bride of Christ was adorned with divine goodness, and with the beauties of virginity and the divine streams of the honorable blood of martyrdom, thou art gloriously crowned with double crowns, O renowned one.

(Bogorodichen) In a manner befitting God thou becamest a pure dwelling-place, O Virgin God-bearer, more spacious than the heavens and more pure. And now the choir of virgins rejoiceth in thee.

Irmos: Establish us in Thyself, O Lord, Who by the Tree didst slay the transgressions, and plant Thy fear in our hearts, as Thou art the Lover of mankind.

O Agatha, most bright and beautiful, and divine shoot and glory of the martyrs: having healed the affliction of my soul, O Martyr, make me beautiful.

By lawful virtues thou didst narrow thyself, O Agatha, and wast named a martyr. Having disregarded the temporal, thou didst love the kingdom of God.

All earthly beauties thou didst prefer Christ above, O Agatha, drawn by divine desire. And the insolence of the tormentors thou didst boldly and manfully trample down.

(Bogorodichen) O pure Bride of God, entreat God Whom thou didst bear, to deliver those who hymn thee from misfortunes and perils, and from the onslaught of passions, O most blessed one.

Kontakion to the Saint, Tone 2: Thou didst offer virginity without stain and martyrdom as a most beautiful dowry to the immortal Bridegroom. Whereby thou wast numbered with the choirs of angels, having conquered the demons’ malice. For this cause we honor thee with faith, O all-praised Martyr Agatha.

Ikos: Ever partaking of sacred illumination, as one standing before the Father with light, O glorious one: sanctify and enlighten the minds of those who celebrate thy light-bearing and divine memory with uprightness. And put a word into the opening of mouths to sing thy life, thy patience, the witness of torments, the scraping [of thy flesh], whereby thou didst obtain Christ and wast lawfully crowned with victorious wreaths, O all-praised Agatha.

Sedalen to the Saint, Tone 4: Adorned with the ornament of faith and piety, with asceticism and virginity, and with zealous suffering, thou wast named with a prudent mind, self-chosen, truly an honor to God, deliverance to the fatherland. As a bride praying to Christ, grant us great mercy.

Irmos: I hymn Thee with hearing, for I heard, O Lord, and was afraid. For Thy descent came even unto me, seeking me who had gone astray. Therefore I glorify Thy manifold condescension toward me, the renewal.

The foolishness of the deceitful serpent was put to shame and exposed. For now the virgin tramples down his insolence: Christ having shone forth from the Virgin upon the earth and illumined all.

Having lawfully preserved undefiled chastity, O passion-bearer, thou didst joyfully cast down the spirits of evil, armed with the grace of Christ, and having taken up His Cross upon thy shoulder.

Be thou my most-wise protectress, delivering me from evils, and rescue me from the storm of perils and from the violence of the enemy, that being delivered I may hymn thee as good, O namesake of intercession [or: O thou who art named after help/protection].

(Bogorodichen): O most pure one, thou didst surpass immeasurably the angelic brightness, having ineffably given birth to Christ, the Sun of the mind, Who with the rays of divinity illumines the thoughts of the faithful.

Irmos: O Giver of light and Creator of the ages, O Lord, guide us in the light of Thy commandments, for we know no other God besides Thee.

Submitting to the divine command, O glorious one, thou didst symbolically loose the bonds of fleshly attachment; O Agatha, thou didst appear as a fruitful olive tree.

Beholding with all love the radiant splendors of Christ, O bright one, thou didst despise the pleasures that drag downward on the earth, desiring only the beauty of that Other.

That thou mightest be accounted worthy of the ineffable life, O glorious one, and behold the elect, thou didst endure torments strongly, rejoicing, O most praiseworthy Agatha.

(Bogorodichen): To thee who gavest birth to Christ, the Maker of all, we cry: Rejoice, O pure one. Rejoice, thou who hast made the light to dawn upon us. Rejoice, thou who hast contained the uncontainable God.

Irmos: Held fast in the abyss of sins, I call upon the unfathomable abyss of Thy mercy: from corruption raise me up, O God.

The senseless tormentor, hoping to steal thee, the good virgin, was put to shame and exposed when he dashed against thy firm mind.

Grace was poured forth upon thy lips, O God-named Martyr. For thou didst clearly expose the shameless one openly, enriched by God-taught speech.

Thou didst appear as a precious stone, O all-praiseworthy one, possessing a self-chosen prudent mind, and having become deliverance and confirmation for the fatherland, O honorable Agatha.

(Bogorodichen): Psalm-like we cry out praising thee: Rejoice, O fruitful mountain of Christ God, in whom He was pleased to dwell for our salvation, O Bride of God.

Irmos: Regarding the golden image on the plain of Deira, the three youths paid no heed to the godless command, but cast into the midst of the flame and refreshed, they sang: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

As one speaking most brightly and clearly, thou didst astonish the tormentor with the word of wisdom and grace, and with the patience of torments. For having powerfully endured the burning coals, thou criest: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

The impious one, gripped by fierce anger, was sorely vexed when he saw thy youth and the tender growth of thy breasts. But rejoicing, O Martyr, thou didst cry out, calling to thy Bridegroom: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

Now the bright disciple of Christ stands before thee as thou art guarded, healing thy cruel wounds which the invincible Martyr, the Savior’s virgin, endured; rejoicing and saying: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

(Bogorodichen): Adam is put to death for transgressing the commandment of the Almighty. But thou, having given birth to eternal life, O most immaculate Virgin, hast delivered him from death, as he crieth to thy Son: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

Irmos: O God Who descended into the fiery furnace with the Hebrew children and turned the flame into dew, sing, all ye works of the Lord, and supremely exalt Him unto the ages.

Having been accounted worthy to live in eternal joy and gladness, and to be illumined by thine ineffable glory, pray thou to the Lord, O Agatha, for those who honor thee, that they may obtain incorruptible life.

With mind and heart and soul having loved Christ beyond all word—the one supremely beloved—thou didst take wing to Him, crying: I run after Thee, and I shall dwell with Thee forever.

Adorned with supernatural roses and beautiful raiment, as a king’s daughter, thou standest in honor before Christ, O Agatha, crying: We supremely exalt Thee, O Lord, unto the ages.

(Bogorodichen): O God-bearer, bearing Christ in thy womb as poured-out myrrh, thou didst breathe forth the fragrance of myrrh with God-inspired censings. Therefore we cry to thee: Rejoice!

Irmos: We the faithful, with one mind, magnify in hymns Him Who came from God, God the Word, in ineffable wisdom to renew Adam who had grievously fallen into corruption through the eating [of the fruit], and Who is ineffably incarnate for our sake from the holy Virgin.

Adorned with victorious crowns, O God-wise Agatha, now pray thou by the life-creating right hand that we may be delivered—as thou once didst still the raging of the storm and fire for thy fatherland—that we may unceasingly magnify thee with hymns.

Christ, Who by divine providence holdest all things together, now rewarding thy martyr’s valor, O Martyr, setteth thee in the heavenly mansions as His all-immaculate bride, and hath granted thee to rejoice with the angels and with the martyrs.

O compassionate passion-bearer, make Christ the Judge of all merciful unto me, O honorable one, by thy prayers, O most glorious; entreat unceasingly that the multitude of my transgressions be forgiven through the riches of His goodness, O adornment of martyrs.

(Bogorodichen): Ineffably incarnate from thy pure bloods, He appeared to us as the Sun, O most pure Mother, unwedded bride: the Son Who is co-eternal with the Father before all ages. Having driven away the darkness, He hath illumined all things.

Svetilen (Lamp-lighting Hymn) to the Martyr: Thy breasts endured cutting, O good virgin, and all manner of other torments, O passion-bearer, for Christ’s sake. Therefore thy Bridegroom hath led thee into the beautiful bridal chamber, O glorious one, to rejoice with the angels, O virgin martyr Agatha.