Akathist to St. John the Russian, the New Confessor and Wonderworker, whose incorrupt Holy Relic is treasured in Neo Prokopion, Evia
Written by Nun Isidora Agierotheitissa
Kontakion
in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
The perfect pinnacle of
confession, and the divine example of humility, you willingly were steadfast
amidst the bitterness, and your flesh shone forth with incorruption, let us
honor John whose name is great, singing to him:
hail, O
boast of the Russians.
You lived the life of the
bodiless on earth in your physical flesh, O John, (3) and imitating the ranks
of the Bodiless Angels, God Who fashioned you glorified you in wondrous and
divine works. Therefore, you hear from those who are amazed by you such words
as these:
Hail, the precious icon
of piety,
Hail, rich support of the
holy faith.
Hail, perfect one in
godly struggles,
Hail, privileged one
serving uplifted things.
Hail, the fair pinnacle
of all the Righteous ones,
Hail, the sacred radiance
of the confessors.
Hail, the most-precious
joy of the Church,
Hail, the most-prided
offspring of noble Russia.
Hail, lamp of the
radiance of the saints,
Hail, treasury of
incorrupt and sacred gifts.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
Barbarians faced your
nation in battle, and took you hostage, O all-blessed one, thus bringing you to
Asia Minor, where you were sold to a terrible boss, while you totally submitted
to him in slavery in your incomparable steadfastness, O Father. And being obedient
to him as a humble slave, O John, to God, the guide of all things, you offered
the hymn, chanting endlessly: Alleluia.
You willed to imitate
Christ, and to suffer the divine Passion, therefore, you endured every insult,
O John, in your gladsome and undoubting heart. And you drank their every
ridicule and bitterness as a pleasant drink. Therefore, you ever gladden those
you cry out to you words like these:
Hail, true steward of the
God of all,
Hail, deferential servant
of a vicious boss.
Hail, you who endured
unspeakable evils,
Hail, you who were
enriched with heavenly rewards.
Hail, you who endured the
bitter yoke of slavery,
Hail, you who bore the
Lord's yoke with joy.
Hail, divine mirror of
mystical rays,
Hail, sacred treasury of
God-given gifts.
Hail, anointer of the
unspeakable mystagogy,
Hail, shining pearl of
the Church.
Hail, lamp that shines
upon the hearts of the faithful,
Hail, sun that speaks of
the unwaning Christ.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
In the rich home in which
you served, a dinner was served, and through the grace of your Lord, you worked
a great miracle through your piercing prayer, O Father. And from afar, O John,
you sent food to your slave master in his own dish, thus granting him joy.
While to God, Who dwells in the highest, you granted joy, as your burning heart
chanted the hymn: Alleluia.
Having the most-pure fear
of the Lord in your holy heart, O Father, as David the Prophet, you were
enriched with perfect love. And through the spring of love, you approached God
perfectly, and you meditated upon the law mindfully, O all-precious John, and
called upon His name ceaselessly from the mouth of your heart. Therefore with
incomparable care, you hearken upon us who call upon you ceaselessly:
Hail, the most-faithful
worshipper of the God of all,
Hail, the bloodless
Martyr of the Master of all.
Hail, you who were
enriched with the great forbearance of Job,
Hail, you who
unflinchingly gave a good witness.
Hail, you who traveled
the straight path of turmoils,
Hail, you who bent the
neck of your soul to Christ.
Hail, treasury of graces,
full of divine fragrance,
Hail, river of wonders,
and inheritance of fragrance.
Hail, the wealth of the
Greeks, the incorruptible treasure,
Hail, perfect sharer of
the mystical Table.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
With the immense warmth
of your fervor, O John, you followed Christ willingly, and you did not at all
deny His holy and all-powerful name, O blessed one. You suffered many pains,
but you were as a diamond amidst turmoils, that beautifies the Church of
Christ. With the fiery rays of the confession which you gave before the godless
rulers with a piercing voice, O Father, you ceaselessly spoke of God, and
chanted the thrice-holy hymn, chanting in thanksgiving: Alleluia.
From Russia, O Father,
you were transported to the holy land of Asia Minor as a slave. And by your
righteous pains you cultivated the land, and harvested the fruit of the faith,
offering it to God Who cultivated you. Through freedom in soul, you served Him,
O Righteous John, and kept your mind free, giving glory to Him instead as is
right. Therefore, for those who bless you, grant a godly mind and a pure heart,
as we cry out to you with loud voices like this:
Hail, you who worked the
mystical vineyard,
Hail, you who fed upon
the grapes of your athletic pains.
Hail, for with precious
tears you watered your pillow,
Hail, for with divine
rejoicing you bestow harmony.
Hail, you who received a
great talent from the hand of God,
Hail, you who greatly
increased the portion given to you.
Hail, you who received
the holy seed within the field of your heart,
Hail, you who bore fruit
through the good word of your confession.
Hail, the good servant of
every virtue,
Hail, the prudent
disciple of the Master of all.
Hail, the boast of the
Church and root of beautiful fruit,
Gail, the glory of the
Righteous, and wonder of the Angels.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
Willingly doing the will
of the Lord, you eagerly served, O sacred John, and with your humble mindset
you followed the commandments. Therefore, you rejoiced as you accepted the yoke
of slavery for the love which He offered to us, as He took on the form of a
servant in His great goodness. With utter desire in heart, and a joyous voice,
you offered to Him the hymn and ode as is proper: Alleluia.
In your endurance, you
dwelt within a dark stable with the horses, while in your heart you mystically
beheld the light of Christ, and you hymned the Giver-of-light in truth, keeping
the lamp of your soul lit through the illuminating rays of your all-holy
prayers. I entreat you to drive away the darkness from my irrational soul, that
I may rationally offer you this light-bearing ode, saying fervently these words
in thanksgiving:
Hail, healer adorned with
the beauty of confession,
Hail, steadfast and
divine pinnacle of good struggles.
Hail, the most-joyous
treasury of the spotless faith,
Hail, spotless treasury
of joyous graces.
Hail, you who freely give
from the treasury of the Saints,
Hail, you who strengthen
the souls with precious wealth.
Hail, spring which brings
the fragrant message of dispassion,
Hail, well that waters
with the refreshment of the spirit.
Hail, for you wore the
tattered garment of the flesh in humility, O Father,
Hail, for you gladden the
soul with songs from above.
Hail, the perfect
companion of servants,
Hail, the faithful
servant of the divine will.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
Though you lived under
the dominion of deceived ones, you who trample upon the enemy, you preserved
your heart, O wondrous John, and you founded a great tower of the strength of
God in the house of your soul that was unassailable to all, in which you loudly
spoke of God's greatness. Loudly speak to my mouth, through the boldness of your
prayers, that I might totally resist the strength of the deceiver, and offer to
the all-powerful God, along with the Angels, the hymn: Alleluia.
Shining with the beauty
of your soul more than corruptible gold, you beautify the Church of Christ, O
John, and with the golden rays of your holy deeds, you shine upon all of us
with the beauty of the Master. Illumine the garment of my soul, which is soiled
by the passions, through your bold intercessions, I entreat you, that I might
hymn your fervent help, as is needful, and with all joy, ceaselessly saying to
you words such as these:
Hail, container of
healings, and river of wonders,
Hail, the most-speedy
physician of incurable diseases.
Hail, you who exalted God
through your wondrous works,
Hail, you who trampled
upon the enemy through your unspeakable groans.
Hail, you who imitated
well the endurance of Job,
Hail, for as another
Lazarus, you persevered in poverty.
Hail, you who inherited
well the wealth of Eden,
Hail, you who wisely
found the great treasure.
Hail, for your flesh did
not taste of corruption in death,
Hail, you who partake of
the grace of incorruption upon the earth.
Hail, you who offer to
God prayers of intercession,
Hail, protector of all
the faithful, full of sympathy.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
The precious members of
your flesh, O Champion, bore the sacred marks of your confession, as you
withstood many evils with your unswayable mind, and suffered hunger, and the
bitterness of insults, which you drank as a river, and joyous food, from the
eternal city of Eden, O John, in which dwell the choirs of the Righteous, and
the sacred ranks of the Martyrs, and the cities of the divine confessors, as
you chant ceaselessly unto God in Trinity the gladsome hymn in joy: Alleluia.
Dwelling in the divine
house of the radiant and glorious trophy-bearer George in Asia Minor, you
supplicated all day, and prayed all night, thus pleasing the Master of all, O
John. Therefore, may you ever look graciously upon us who hymn you, granting remission
of sins to our souls, and deep peace and transformation of the passions, that
out of gratefulness we might cry to you in truth:
Hail, fund of prayer, and
rule of continence,
Hail, river of love, and
icon of gladsomeness.
Hail, for you imitated
the heavenly ranks of the Cherubim,
Hail, for you illuminated
the sacred ranks of the Righteous.
Hail, house of purity,
and robe of cleanliness,
Hail, the highest
imitator of the divine life.
Hail, you who took refuge
in the divine church of Saint George,
Hail, for you pray with
him to God, O Father.
Hail, you who accepted
the passion of the Martyrs in the flesh,
Hail, you who joined with
all those who confess God.
Hail, Christ's teacher of
humility for us,
Hail, for you properly
reached the height of dispassion.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
You lived your life on
earth as a stranger, but grew closer to Christ, Who estranged Himself for us on
earth, that we might become friends and close to God, delivering us from our
former disobedience, and making us sharers in the eternal joy, and that we be
found in light. May your light-bearing prayers, O servant of the light, grant
us every grace, O sacred John, that we be delivered from the darkness, and
chant unto the Worker-of-light and Master of all, the great ode and
never-silent hymn: Alleluia.
With your whole mind, O
Father, you unwaveringly followed the Lord of all, Whom you desired from
childhood, and Whose army you were numbered in out of obedience, inscribing His
laws upon the tablets of your heart, and keeping them with exactness as a good
servant, and from Whom you received divine grace as the reward for your
efforts, and your face shone as did the Law-giver Moses. Therefore, do not
cease to intercede for us, O good John, and make us worthy to keep the holy commandments,
that we might be found in the radiant bridal chamber, and ever chant to you
these good words:
Hail, perfect mystagogue
of divine visions,
Hail, precious diner from
the radiant Table.
Hail, friend of the
Master and beloved son,
Hail, protector of the
faithful, and sacred guide of brides.
Hail, you who glorified
the immortal God below,
Hail, you who trampled
upon the powerless enemy.
Hail, you who wondrously
were true to your Christian name,
Hail, stream of wonders,
and river of healings.
Hail, the joyfulness of
the Russians and the sweetness of the Greeks,
Hail, the lamp of Evia
and the adornment of the Church.
Hail, the holy shield of
confessors,
Hail, the purity and
gladness of the Athletes of the Lord.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
Every painful notion you
endured with joy, as you were shown to be a tower of strength against every
enemy, O John, utterly revealing their machinations, and receiving the crown
from the hand of Him Who works all things. Through your prayers, O Father, make
us worthy to be victorious over [the enemy's] machinations, and to raise up the
trophies of godly victory in strength, and strength of life, that we might all
cry out the victorious ode: Alleluia.
The Russian people take
refuge in your holy memory, and skip and magnify God, O John, for He gave you
to them as an all-holy root. Asia Minor also dances in glory, for you blessed
her through your pains and holy struggles. And Evia also sings, and the noble
island rejoices, being joyously enriched with your wondrous body, which
transforms corruption, and turns beyond, calling the Greeks, and every city and
people that bears the name of Christ to cry out to you these words graciously:
Hail, you who drank
insults as sweet water,
Hail, you who took
reproach as joyous food.
Hail, you who bore the
marks of the Lord in your flesh,
Hail, you who bear the
seal of incorruption in it.
Hail, for you offered
yourself to the King of all,
Hail, for you ever stand
before His throne in heaven.
Hail, you who in slavery
were proven as gold,
Hail, you who are full of
gold, and shine upon the earth.
Hail, you who quenched
the fire of the furnace through your pains,
Hail, you who saved your
flesh from corruption in the flames.
Hail, you who saved the
disciple from terrible danger,
Hail you who fill every
heart with wonder.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
We venerate your
incorrupt body in piety, O John, and we bless the immortal God, Who delivered
every race of man from death, and through His Third-day Resurrection,
resurrected us. We sing to Him in joyous voices faithfully, praising the
strength of His wonders, the multitude of His miracles, and we cry from our
hearts, with the Angelic choirs, the joyous hymn and cherubic ode: Alleluia.
Foreseeing your blessed
repose, O John, you sought to partake of the Spotless Mysteries, that you might
be born into the life of eternal communion. These were brought to you by a
priest in an apple, hidden as a treasure from the faithless enemies. Having
received the Mysteries within your soul, O Father, you gave your soul to God.
We ever glorify Him, as the Author of our life, and we all say these to you
from our heart, ceaselessly:
Hail, the most-precious
temple of divine gifts,
Hail, the most-radiant
container of precious virtues.
Hail, you who bear the
good news of your calling from above,
Hail, you who enrich with
the fragrance of the Holy Spirit.
Hail, you who founded
within the zeal and steadfastness of the Martyrs,
Hail, for having them in
mind, you imitated their life.
Hail, you who who copied
the lives of all the Righteous Ones.
Hail, you who reached the
hymnody of the Angelic ranks.
Hail, you who remained
for many years in the dark stable,
Hail, you who ever dwell
in the pastures of light.
Hail, you who adorn the
Church of Christ,
Hail, you who beautify
the holy island of Evia.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
Having burned up every
evil material within yourself, you were offered to the Church as an
all-fragrant harbor, gladdening the faithful with the grandeur of virtues.
Therefore, at your holy memory, O John, we weave godly crowns with flowers, out
of debt, and rightly engrave a hymn, honoring you from our soul, for the Lord
also, in great joy, placed a crown upon your head, O Father, and we chant
together: Alleluia.
Beholding light from your
grave as a pillar of fire, you told to those there clearly, O John, of your
life full of light which you struggled in on earth, and the boldness which you
were eternally enriched with by the Father of Lights. As you never leave His
hand, we entreat you to extend your hand, that we be delivered from the
darkness, and walk in the light of the commandments, as your servants
ceaselessly hymn the Giver-of-light and Savior, the Redeemer Jesus, and
ceaselessly say to you with one voice:
Hail, lamp of the Light
that drives away the darkness of passions,
Hail, for you lit within
your soul a lamp with the light of the virtues.
Hail, you who gladden the
hearts of the faithful with your light,
Hail, you who make joyous
the holy Church with your beauty.
Hail, man of godly and
holy desires,
Hail, divine lover of
sacred commandments.
Hail, you who adorn the
firmament above,
Hail, you who strengthen
the souls of all through the wood of the Cross.
Hail, spring of divine
things, and life-giving waters,
Hail, infinite stream of
unspeakable wonders.
Hail, tree that bears the
fruit of Paradise,
Hail, flower that carries
the fragrance of the Comforter.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
Rejoicing that your time
of bitter slavery had come to an end, your holy soul passed to the hand of God,
and inherited joy in truth, O John, as you ever rejoice together with the
choirs of the Angels. Let us all hail you, speaking to the Athlete of the Lord,
celebrating his radiant memory with fervor, and embracing his sacred body with
faith. And the choir claps on earth in harmony, while those in the heavens cry
out the ode, to God in the highest, ever chanting to Him: Alleluia.
Truly surpassing the sands
of the sea, O Father, are the multitude of your wonders, which you pour
upon the faithful, who out of debt approach your sacred church, and entreat
your intercessions, O sacred John, that we be delivered from sicknesses and
from the assaults of the passions, as we cry out willingly with a glad heart:
Hail, healer of
sicknesses, and driver-out of demons,
Hail, fountain of
wonders, and mixing-bowel of blessing.
Hail, you who shine as a
star with the Three-rays of light,
Hail, you who dissipate
the soul-corrupting mist of the passions.
Hail, you grant to all
the true wealth of the Master,
Hail, you who pour forth
incorruptible treasure for the faithful.
Hail, divine harbor which
grants salvation to souls,
Hail, you who befriend us
with the Prince of peace.
Hail, you who truly bring
forth strange wonders,
Hail, for your flesh was
wondrously estranged from corruption.
Hail, pillar of Russia
and treasure of Greece,
Hail, unsleeping
protector of the whole world.
Hail, O
boast of the Russians.
O All-holy Father, the
height of divine confessors, and newly-illumined star, O John, (3) you who
received the experience of the Martyrs in your precious body, and the sweat of
the Righteous, and willingly endured toils, and received a crown upon your head
from your beloved Master, and were honored by incorruption of your holy flesh:
grant us the honor of incorruption in the heavens, through your prayers and
uplifted hands, that we find the glory of eternal life, with all those who have
been saved. To the Lord, Whom you stand before, we offer the ode, crying out
with the Bodiless ones ceaselessly: Alleluia.
Through
the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us
and save us! Amen!
