Saint Arsenios of Cappadocia

Troparion of Saint Arsenios the Cappadocian

Tone 5

Following in these latter times the way of life of the venerable Fathers, O Father Arsenios, you were filled with the gifts of the divine Spirit; and becoming yourself a worker of wonders, O God-bearer, you grant to each an abundance of good things from God, through your prayers to the Lord.

Ode 1

Heirmos: Crossing the water as though on dry land, and escaping the malice of the Egyptians, the Israelite cried out: Let us sing to our Deliverer and our God.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

Receiving the light of the Godhead, one and shining in three suns, O Father, dispel the moonless night of my mind by your prayers, holy Arsenios, that I may worthily sing your good deeds and the wonders of your ascetic life.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

The whole desire of your soul, holy Arsenios, you stretched out with unwavering mind toward God, the Creator of all; and like one without a body you lived, O Father, scorning the pleasures of the flesh, for you longed for what is beyond understanding.

Glory...

Crushing your body with the toils of asceticism, O Father, and putting to death every movement of the passions, you made your soul a chamber of dispassion, and from God you received the grace of miracles, holy Arsenios.

Both now..., Theotokion:

You ineffably gave birth, O spotless one, to the bearer of flesh — the Word who from all ages is without flesh, who shares one throne with the Father, who did not change His nature and, through the compassion of His mercy, brought back the world from corruption to its former dignity.

Ode 3

Heirmos: O Lord, who made the things above the vault of heaven and founded the Church, establish me in your love; for you are the goal of all desires and the strength of the faithful, O only Lover of mankind.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

Lifting the Cross upon your shoulders, you walked in the footsteps of the Saviour with unshaken mind, casting off the things of the world as corruptible, holy Arsenios, and hastening eagerly toward incorruption.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

Fulfilling the divine words of the Gospel, O God-minded one, you mercifully heal the infirm and grant comfort, by deed and word, to those who suffer bitterly, true disciple of Christ, O Father.

Glory...

By ardent prayers, vigils and the labours of self-restraint you shone forth, O God-bearer; you showed yourself a guide of the foolish toward the perfection of virtue, honoured by all, holy Arsenios.

Both now..., Theotokion:

From your spotless womb the Word who is beyond all being, taking on human nature, deified man through the compassion of His mercies, O Virgin Mother of God, refuge of mortals.

Kathisma

Tone 3

Prosomoion: The confession of the divine faith...

By divine love you were enlightened, by the works of self-restraint you shone forth, you destroyed the schemes of the enemy, and in these times you imitated the way of life of the Fathers of old, holy Arsenios; together with them, pray to the Lord who glorified you, that He may grant us great mercy.

Glory... Both now..., Theotokion:

By the divine Spirit the prophet beheld you of old as a holy mountain, adorned with a multitude of graces and good things; for from you, O all-spotless one, God came forth and saved the lost world. Entreat Him, O all-praised one, that there be granted to us cleansing of our sins and divine mercy.

Ode 4

Heirmos: I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of your dispensation, I have understood your works, and I have glorified your Divinity.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

Ordering your whole life by the law of God, as a most skilled worker of virtue, you were filled with the divine light; and enriched with the knowledge of things to come, holy Father Arsenios, you foresaw distant things as though present, O God-minded one, plainly revealing what was not yet made manifest.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

Shaking off the mire of the passions, holy Arsenios, and cleansing your soul and body by prayers and streams of tears, you showed yourself a fragrant garden of dispassion, O Venerable one, spreading a fragrance of life and ceaselessly driving away the stench of evil counsels.

Glory...

Having your whole mind in Christ, O Venerable one, you showed yourself wholly a divine dwelling; and receiving from heaven the spirit of miracles, you do good to those who run to your grace, O Father, and grant to each healing of soul and body.

Both now..., Theotokion:

O wholly innocent one, water of life and fountain full of grace, pour forth the heavenly mercies upon my humbled soul, and quench, O pure one, the flame of the passions that trouble me, and grant me impulses of repentance, cleansing me from passionate thoughts, O Virgin.

Ode 5

Heirmos: Enlighten us, O Lord, by your commandments, and by your uplifted arm grant us your peace, O Lover of mankind.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

You showed yourself of one likeness with the ascetics of old, O Venerable Arsenios, imitating in these latter times their virtues and their angelic life; therefore, O Father, Christ made you to share their same glory.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

Tending hardened hearts by your word, you cleanse them, holy Arsenios, of the thorns and briars of the serpent, and prepare them that the immortal and beautiful shoots of the true faith may bear good fruit.

Glory...

As a richly blossoming branch and a tree of good fruit of divine asceticism, Cappadocia calls you blessed, O Venerable Arsenios, having received your sweat and your toils, O Father, and it glories in being the holy cradle of your life.

Both now..., Theotokion:

Slain by malice, I run to your life-giving prayer and fervently cry to you: O you who gave birth to the immortal Life, give me life, O blessed Mother of God, and guide me on the paths of salvation.

Ode 6

Heirmos: I will pour out my prayer to the Lord and tell Him my sorrows; for my soul is filled with evils and my life has drawn near to hell, and like Jonah I pray: O God, bring me up from corruption.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

From the East you rose as a star of new light, kindling us with the rays of your life, O Venerable Arsenios, and scattering the darkness of the passions.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

Adorned with spiritual discernment, O Venerable one, you cleanse the defilements of souls by the word of grace, and you show to all, holy Arsenios, the immeasurable goodness of Christ.

Glory...

Enduring great trials, O Father Arsenios, you became renowned through good works, through miracles and through manifold benefactions to those who draw near to you with faith.

Both now..., Theotokion:

From your spotless blood, beyond nature, was born He who fashioned all things out of nothing, O Virgin, and He created us anew, bringing us back to our first glory.

Kontakion

Tone 4

Prosomoion: You who were lifted up on the Cross...

Let us praise the newly planted flower of Cappadocia and the precious vessel of good works, the holy Arsenios; for living like an angel in the flesh, he was numbered in the choir of all the saints, with whom he ever prays to Christ to grant us the forgiveness of our sins.

Oikos

Inclining your whole desire and the movements of your soul before Christ, O Father, you followed Him by a spotless life; and becoming a fulfiller of His word, you put your body to death with ascetic labours and enlightened your soul with the radiance of dispassion, with divine ascents and immaterial communions. Imitating the way of life of the venerable ones of old, you were counted worthy of their tradition and their grace; for you showed yourself a luminous dwelling of the working of the Spirit, and you deliver many from afflictions by miracles without number; for the Saviour, whom you glorified, gloriously glorified you in turn, O Venerable Arsenios. Pray to Him without ceasing to grant us the forgiveness of our sins.

Ode 7

Heirmos: The young men who once went from Judea to Babylon trampled by faith in the Trinity upon the flame of the furnace, singing: God of our Fathers, blessed are you.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

Shining with the rays of dispassion, you showed yourself a well-wisher to the faithful and the unfaithful, holy Arsenios, as a servant of Christ, healing each by your word at the fitting time.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

Through the immeasurable labours of asceticism you have now passed to the life without labour, blessed Arsenios, soothing all the toil and grief of us who honour you with faith.

Glory...

You showed yourself like an angel in appearance, and a divine light shone upon your face, O Father Arsenios, when you offered to God the bloodless sacrifice in holy Zion.

Both now..., Theotokion:

You became the salvation of the world, having given flesh to Christ the King, who from deception brought us back again to life, O pure one; therefore save those who sing to you: Rejoice, full of grace.

Ode 8

Heirmos: The heavenly King, whom the armies of angels praise, praise Him and exalt Him above all forever.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

In your life you showed yourself a diligent fulfiller of the divine commandments, O God-bearer; and being filled with grace, you pour forth in streams the water of healings, holy Arsenios, for those who praise you.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

Me, defiled by the impurity of sin, wash me by your cleansing prayer, O wise one, and enlighten me with the knowledge of repentance, that I may pass the time of my life in a manner pleasing to God, O Arsenios.

We bless the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Lord.

Fulfilling a life without defilement and gathering the graces of the saints, O wise one, you showed yourself an image of holiness, O Venerable Arsenios, and you were joined to the choirs of the saints after your holy end.

Both now..., Theotokion:

Him who was incarnate of you beyond understanding, the God of all, you carried in your womb, O Virgin; pray to Him fervently, O all-innocent one, to grant the forgiveness of sins to those who glorify you.

Ode 9

Heirmos: In truth we confess you Mother of God, O pure Virgin, we who through you have been delivered, glorifying you with the choirs of the bodiless ones.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

Serving the Master of all in holiness and faithfulness, as a humble, venerable and gentle priest, holy Arsenios, you offered to Him as sacrifice and oblation the works of your life; therefore you were glorified as equal to the saints in honour.

Verse: Holy and Venerable Father Arsenios, pray to God for us!

The holy Monastery of the Apostle whom Christ loved more than the other disciples — ever shelter it, O Venerable one, and bless it from on high in understanding, the monastery that, by your venerable relics, holy Arsenios, was enriched as with a treasure given from heaven, and that faithfully keeps your holy memory.

Glory...

Dwelling in the all-radiant bridal chamber of the heavens, O God-bearing Arsenios, beholding God and the inexpressible beauty of Christ, and thrice deified by the sharing of His resplendent radiance, receive my song, and ask for me the divine light, by your light-bearing prayers.

Both now..., Theotokion:

O all-radiant lampstand with golden gleams, throne clothed in gold in the form of fire, Mother full of grace, O pure one, of the Almighty God, of Him who beyond nature came forth from your womb, lift up my mind from the mire of the passions to the communion of the luminous life.