Saint George the Great Martyr, the Trophy-bearer

After the usual beginning, we say:

KONTAKIA AND OIKOI:

Kontakion 1

Champion of Christ, Great Martyr George, now from our souls we all sing to you, praising you in the holy temples as a most radiant great sun of the martyrs; and as a defender of the faithful and a helper, with faith we cry to you: Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Oikos 1

An angel in contest you have truly shown yourself, trophy-bearer of Christ George; for being material and in the flesh, you struggled courageously for the faith like an immaterial and bodiless one; therefore we cry to you such things as these:

• Rejoice, for you have shown a nature above nature;
• Rejoice, for you have shown matter above matter;
• Rejoice, young, joyful and most beautiful one;
• Rejoice, most chosen beginner of contest for Christ;
• Rejoice, angel in the flesh, surpassing mortals;
• Rejoice, worldly man, above the world in mind;
• Rejoice, for in contest you appeared in the manner of the sun;
• Rejoice, for after your kind you presented yourself like an angel;
• Rejoice, true work of grace;
• Rejoice, pure inaction of nature;
• Rejoice, you through whom faith was exalted;
• Rejoice, you through whom error was destroyed;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 2

Having your mind's sight purified, you chose rather to suffer for the Creator and to die together with Him, than to live and have temporal gain; for you desired to be crowned with the crown of the martyrs and to sing to the Lord: Alleluia!

Oikos 2

George, thrice-blessed, you showed yourself a plowman of the worship of God according to your name; and a rooter-out of dishonor, tearing up all the deceit of idols from the root. Therefore you are worthy to hear from all these things:

• Rejoice, sower of the trees of right faith;
• Rejoice, cutter of the tares of deceit;
• Rejoice, for you tore out the thorns of idols;
• Rejoice, for you sowed the field of faith;
• Rejoice, for you brought trees with joyful fruits to Christ;
• Rejoice, for you brought many saved to God;
• Rejoice, caretaker of the plants of the service of the Trinity;
• Rejoice, cutter of the roots of pagan faith;
• Rejoice, you who showed the unfruitful land;
• Rejoice, you who showed it fruitful for God;
• Rejoice, you through whom confusion was destroyed;
• Rejoice, you through whom knowledge of God dawned;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 3

Receiving power from on high, you showed yourself a valiant soldier, champion of the incorruptible King Jesus, not fearing the corruptible king; but being enlightened by God, you cried to the Lord thus: Alleluia!

Oikos 3

Having, O trophy-bearer, like a great shield the faith of Christ in your heart, zealous like a lion, you stood courageously in the midst of contest with bold thought. Therefore we bless you saying:

• Rejoice, beginner of all victory for God;
• Rejoice, voivode of Christ;
• Rejoice, unconquered warrior of the faith;
• Rejoice, bearer of victory, great champion of the Spirit;
• Rejoice, most bold David, who killed Goliath;
• Rejoice, most valiant Samson, who conquered the foreigners;
• Rejoice, conqueror in battles for right faith;
• Rejoice, powerful hewer of wrong faith;
• Rejoice, for you are enriched with a heart of iron;
• Rejoice, for you boast with a breast of diamond;
• Rejoice, valiant one of the Cross, the victorious;
• Rejoice, giant of the faithful, the crown-bearer;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 4

Zealous with zeal after the Creator, like Elijah of old, urging yourself on, you entered into contests; for you could not bear to anoint your head, O Saint, with the oil of sinners. Therefore you cast away from you the dignity of voivode, singing to God: Alleluia!

Oikos 4

Hearing the despicable written commands of the idol-worshippers against Christians and against Christ, bearer of battles, you were wounded in soul as a follower of Christ; therefore, despising the world and the body, you hear these things:

• Rejoice, for you hated corruptible wealth;
• Rejoice, for you distributed this wealth to the poor;
• Rejoice, warrior against earthly pleasures;
• Rejoice, higher than material goods;
• Rejoice, for you trampled the whole world underfoot;
• Rejoice, for you despised passing glory;
• Rejoice, for you overlooked the flower of youth;
• Rejoice, for you showed no pity for the beauty of the body;
• Rejoice, for you did not spare your life at all;
• Rejoice, irreconcilable enemy of the body;
• Rejoice, for you had dispassion towards all things;
• Rejoice, for you gained victory over all passions;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 5

Divine love you had in your heart, O Martyr, and fire of love towards Christ; by which, your mind being inflamed, you became wholly deified and set on fire; and all these present things you considered as a dream, crying to God: Alleluia!

Oikos 5

To the idol-worshipper Diocletian, the champion George said: Why do you delay, O judge, and not quickly prepare for me all torments? For I am ready to receive all for my Creator. Therefore hear:

• Rejoice, immeasurable love for God;
• Rejoice, fervent desire for Christ;
• Rejoice, unquenchable fire of divine love;
• Rejoice, unceasing love of the Master;
• Rejoice, for you gave up all things and purchased Christ;
• Rejoice, for for God you considered all painful things as delights;
• Rejoice, for you conquered desire by desire of the body;
• Rejoice, for you quenched flame by flame;
• Rejoice, receiver of good delight;
• Rejoice, you who loved spiritually and were likewise loved;
• Rejoice, you who wholly estranged yourself from yourself;
• Rejoice, for you wholly drew near to Christ;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 6

The tyrant was utterly terrified by your most wondrous courage, O Martyr George, and being thunderstruck by your words, he became amazed and speechless, for he had nothing to say, nor did he know how to sing to the Lord: Alleluia!

Oikos 6

Shining, O Martyr, in the hearing of all in the midst of the contest you cried: One is God the Trinity: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; and Christ is God. Therefore we bless you saying:

• Rejoice, radiant preacher of the Trinity;
• Rejoice, joyful trumpeter of the faith;
• Rejoice, nightingale with sweet voice and much song;
• Rejoice, singing and resounding swallow;
• Rejoice, lips thundering in heaven the Divinity of Christ;
• Rejoice, tongue flowing with honey of the economy of Christ;
• Rejoice, preacher of theology;
• Rejoice, adorned rhetor of the faith;
• Rejoice, alluring siren of the Father;
• Rejoice, well-resounding psaltery of the Spirit;
• Rejoice, you through whom truth was shown;
• Rejoice, you through whom falsehood was confronted;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 7

Great in every way are the kinds of torments which you suffered, O Martyr; for merely thinking of them, one's heart is broken. But you suffered these, with joy singing to God: Alleluia!

Oikos 7

Young in age, but old in mind, you showed yourself, O Martyr George; therefore also the torments you bore with courage, as another might have suffered them, with valiant thought; therefore we sing to you such things as these:

• Rejoice, for your belly was pierced with the point of a spear;
• Rejoice, for your body was beaten with ox sinews;
• Rejoice, for you were struck on the mouth with many rods;
• Rejoice, for your hands were bound with chains;
• Rejoice, for you were dragged on the wheel with sharp points;
• Rejoice, for your chest was crushed with stones;
• Rejoice, for you wore footwear reddened in fire;
• Rejoice, for you spent three days in the lime pit;
• Rejoice, for you drank poisonous drinks;
• Rejoice, for you often dwelt in prison;
• Rejoice, for you were placed on most sharp stakes;
• Rejoice, for you received your end by the sword;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 8

Wholly strange and most glorious are all the wonders which you performed, O Martyr George, in your contests; and after countless sufferings, with great courage and power, giving praise to God, you sang: Alleluia!

Oikos 8

Bearer of torments, having in your breast whole Christ, Who is wonderful among the Saints, through Him you worked the terrible and mind-surpassing wonders; at which we being amazed, with wonder cry:

• Rejoice, you who disregarded the points of spears;
• Rejoice, you who conquered the torments of the wheel;
• Rejoice, for you showed yourself stronger than lime;
• Rejoice, for you overcame the power of poison;
• Rejoice, for from the tomb you raised one long dead;
• Rejoice, for you revived Glycerius' ox;
• Rejoice, you who delivered a child from Bulgaria;
• Rejoice, you who saved a child from Crete;
• Rejoice, you through whom the child conquered;
• Rejoice, you by whom the merchants were stopped;
• Rejoice, you who received the widow's pillar;
• Rejoice, for you overthrew the gods of the Greeks;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 9

All the nature of the angels seeing you standing in the midst of the contest, young and powerful through Christ, fighting alone, praised you clapping their hands; and rejoicing, they glorified the Lord, singing: Alleluia!

Oikos 9

Being a rhetor of the dogmas of the faith, O thrice-blessed one, and performing many wonders, the peoples seeing you on earth were urged towards the divine faith of Christ, and rejoiced in spirit, crying to you such things as these:

• Rejoice, spectacle of the angels;
• Rejoice, sight of men;
• Rejoice, sweetness of the heavenly powers;
• Rejoice, gladness of earthly men;
• Rejoice, for you became the glory of heaven and earth;
• Rejoice, for you brought joy to angels and men;
• Rejoice, beautiful delight of the world above;
• Rejoice, divine praise of the world below;
• Rejoice, sweet radiance of minds;
• Rejoice, sweet adornment of souls;
• Rejoice, you through whom the Church rejoices;
• Rejoice, you through whom all the world dances;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 10

The host of demons, seeing you, O Martyr, that you had conquered them through your contest, wept their fall with bitter lament and said these things: "How has the body-bearer conquered the bodiless?" and sang to God: Alleluia!

Oikos 10

A staff of great and all-powerful victory you raised up against the deception of the Greeks; therefore you are also called trophy-bearer, O Martyr George; at which we marvelling, cry in praise such things as these:

• Rejoice, destroyer of demons;
• Rejoice, overthrower of Greeks;
• Rejoice, you who shattered the lifeless idols;
• Rejoice, you who exposed their crafts;
• Rejoice, for you confronted dominions and principalities;
• Rejoice, for with the shedding of your blood you drowned the leviathan;
• Rejoice, you who quenched the fire of deception;
• Rejoice, you who restricted the spread of polytheism;
• Rejoice, fearsome burner of temples;
• Rejoice, all-powerful smasher of idols;
• Rejoice, you by whom Satan sighs;
• Rejoice, you through whom paganism groans;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 11

The choirs of all the Saints met, O Martyr, your holy soul, when it ascended to the heavens, and with the angels they cried a song of victory to God with gladness, singing together: Alleluia!

Oikos 11

You see directly the unwaning light of the Holy Trinity, O Martyr George, and you now rejoice with true, endless and unspeakable joy, for the torments you suffered. Therefore I cry to you:

• Rejoice, for you delight in the immortal life;
• Rejoice, for you partake of the unspeakable light;
• Rejoice, speaker with the immaterial angels;
• Rejoice, you who dwell together with all the Saints;
• Rejoice, for you suffered together with Christ, Who suffered before;
• Rejoice, for now you are glorified together with Him Who was glorified;
• Rejoice, you who obtained the Kingdom of Heaven;
• Rejoice, you who partook of eternal glory;
• Rejoice, you who wear the unfading crown;
• Rejoice, you who received deification by grace;
• Rejoice, unceasing beholder of God;
• Rejoice, divine co-heir of Christ;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 12

You received grace, O Martyr, from God, to heal the passions of souls and bodies; therefore grant these also to us servants of your church, who are deprived of both, but who sing to God: Alleluia!

Oikos 12

With psalmic songs celebrating your memory and contests, O Martyr, we praise you and bless you from the soul, as a fervent protector of the world, and all with songs, as also with lips, kissing you, we cry to you:

• Rejoice, unfailing treasure of the poor;
• Rejoice, great protector of widows;
• Rejoice, benefactor of the faithful in various circumstances;
• Rejoice, unpaid doctor of the sick;
• Rejoice, for you become all things to all, for Christ;
• Rejoice, for you deliver all the world from needs;
• Rejoice, swift helper of those in need;
• Rejoice, sweet comforter of sorrows;
• Rejoice, inexhaustible source of wonders;
• Rejoice, unceasing flow of gifts;
• Rejoice, wonder of the Church in Lydda;
• Rejoice, intercessor and mediator of all;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

Kontakion 13

O Martyr George, sweet and precious name to all the faithful, accept with meekness this brief praise which we bring to you, and guard from every kind of happening those who sing to God: Alleluia! (This kontakion is said three times)

Then again is said Oikos 1

An angel in contest you have truly shown yourself, trophy-bearer of Christ George; for being material and in the flesh, you struggled courageously for the faith like an immaterial and bodiless one; therefore we cry to you such things as these:

• Rejoice, for you have shown a nature above nature;
• Rejoice, for you have shown matter above matter;
• Rejoice, young, joyful and most beautiful one;
• Rejoice, most chosen beginner of contest for Christ;
• Rejoice, angel in the flesh, surpassing mortals;
• Rejoice, worldly man, above the world in mind;
• Rejoice, for in contest you appeared in the manner of the sun;
• Rejoice, for after your kind you presented yourself like an angel;
• Rejoice, true work of grace;
• Rejoice, pure inaction of nature;
• Rejoice, you through whom faith was exalted;
• Rejoice, you through whom error was destroyed;
• Rejoice, Great Martyr George!

And Kontakion 1 Champion of Christ, Great Martyr George, now from our souls we all sing to you, praising you in the holy temples as a most radiant great sun of the martyrs; and as a defender of the faithful and a helper, with faith we cry to you: Rejoice, Great Martyr George! Troparion, Tone 4: As a deliverer of captives and a helper of the poor, a physician of the infirm, a champion of rulers, Trophy-bearer, Great Martyr George, intercede with Christ God to save our souls.