Saint Silouan the Athonite

Prières which are read before any Acathist

Kontakion 1

To you, chosen wrestler of the Lord and earthly angel, most venerable Father Silouan, now with joy we offer a song of praise! In unceasing vigil, in fasting and humility, being a most chosen follower of the Athonite fathers, through thirst for God and burning love towards Him, you acquired abundant grace for your soul and, becoming an imitator of Christ, Who was crucified for all people, with tears you prayed for those who suffer in hell, for the living and for those who will yet come into the world. Do not deprive us either of this your love, for finding ourselves in the pit of transgressions, we ask for your intercession before God and with compunction we cry: Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Oikos 1

The Maker of angels and the Lord of Hosts chose you from your mother’s womb and, according to the Psalmist’s word, gave you a “deep heart,” Father Silouan, so that the uncontainable name of God Most High might dwell in it as in a most choice chamber, that by the power and wisdom of God you might follow the angelic life. For these things, praising your wondrous deeds and earthly labours, with reverence we call to you:

• Rejoice, fruit of purity from God-fearing parents;
• Rejoice, for you loved your parents’ piety with your whole soul;
• Rejoice, for through temperance and love of God you wished to become like them;
• Rejoice, for from childhood seeking your joy in God, you were wondrously made wise;
• Rejoice, for your heart ever sought to know and submit to the will of God;
• Rejoice, for you thirsted for the fountain of divine grace like a deer;
• Rejoice, for from your youth you sweetened your mind with the Word of God as with most sweet honey;
• Rejoice, fragrant flower with deeds of faith of imperishable beauty;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 2

Seeing you, O most blessed Mother of God, sunk in the abyss of perdition, while the sweetness of sin like a foul-smelling serpent was penetrating the bosom of your youth, like a grieving mother she called you in a wondrous manner: “My son, it pains me to see you defiling yourself with sinful deeds.” And understanding, most venerable Father, her compassion, with manly wisdom you drove away the serpent of sin, overcoming it through repentance, humility and prayer, and to the loving Saviour of mankind you offered a song of thanksgiving for His most pure Mother, ever crying: Alleluia!

Oikos 2

Divine wisdom overshadowed you when you were deemed worthy to hear the voice of the Mother of the Lord, O chosen one of God, Silouan, and the grace of the Holy Spirit filled your heart. Through its working, like a doe escaping from a snare, you hastened to the garden of the Mother of God – Mount Athos – fleeing worldly vanity, for you clung to God as a loving son. Therefore, seeing the wondrous good will of the Lady of the world towards you, with humility we sing to you:

• Rejoice, for from the darkness of sin to the light of Christ’s truth you were called by the Most Pure One herself;
• Rejoice, for you were chosen to be a faithful worker of her earthly garden in a wondrous manner;
• Rejoice, sweet vine of the Russian land which on Mount Athos abundantly bore fruit;
• Rejoice, wakeful conscience, for through humble prayer you blunted the sting of sin;
• Rejoice, for in the Holy Monastery of Pantelimon you served God in angelic manner;
• Rejoice, for through asceticism, fasting and hesychia you perfectly subdued the enemy who fought against you;
• Rejoice, for you overthrew all the crafts of the devil through humility;
• Rejoice, for longing for God, you gloriously acquired pure faith;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 3

Truly, O God-loving Father Silouan, the power of the Most High protected you when the spirit of hell and death assaulted you and stormed your soul with destructive temptations, and you, utterly exhausted, thought that God is inexorable; but the loving Lord immediately visited you through the ineffable light of Tabor and with the fire of the grace of the holy Apostle Paul you received a new birth, with fear and joy singing to God: Alleluia!

Oikos 3

Having the riches of grace, you were raised up in spirit to the heavens and there you truly heard inexpressible words. Who will tell your joy, most venerable Silouan? For you were filled with the ineffable love of God when, being outside the things of the world, in spiritual vision of the ineffable divine beauty, you were deemed worthy to see the Face of Christ God, the immeasurably loving and all-forgiving One. And we, marvelling at the ineffable vision of God, sing to you:

• Rejoice, for struggling in faith, you were deemed worthy of the visitation and consolation of Christ;
• Rejoice, for you were worthy to see with your eyes the beauty of His ineffable glory;
• Rejoice, for in the heavens you were raised up to the most wondrous beauty through the Holy Spirit;
• Rejoice, for there you were watered from the gifts of the grace of the Holy Spirit the Comforter;
• Rejoice, for you partook of the indescribable beauty of Paradise;
• Rejoice, for being loved by God, you were overwhelmed by the gifts of heavenly beauty;
• Rejoice, for you asked for the same grace with tears from God for the human races;
• Rejoice, for you awaken us to the dawn of eternal life as an ever-watchful guard;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 4

A storm of harsh temptations the man-murdering devil sent against you, who from the beginning sought to destroy the souls of the righteous; but you, Father Silouan, guided by the Lord Jesus Christ to keep your mind in hell and not despair, with the gift of the Holy Spirit, through unceasing vigilance and humility you forestalled the schemes of the enemy, perfectly overcoming him; and he, being put to shame by you, was forced to confess that he is altogether a liar. And thus, your soul from the snare of the enemy, like a gentle dove, was delivered by God, to Whom unceasingly you sang: Alleluia!

Oikos 4

Hearing about you, that in a wondrous manner you were called from worldly vanity to monastic asceticism and through the grace of God brought forth good fruit, O venerable one, not only young monks, but also the elderly, much tried in ascetic labours, ran to you and, being sweetened as with honey by your deeds and words, followed the angelic life and became like the Lord. And we, with humble mind seeing you adorned, with joy cry to you:

• Rejoice, for you became an inexhaustible fountain of humble-mindedness and temperance in the Lord;
• Rejoice, for on the Holy Mountain you were like a well-fragrant and unwithered lily;
• Rejoice, for in your asceticism you bore the good yoke of Christ with love;
• Rejoice, for you unceasingly strengthened your mind, heart and will in God through prayer;
• Rejoice, for full of zeal, you kept bodily and soulful purity;
• Rejoice, for through unceasing prayer you ascended to the height of dispassion;
• Rejoice, for you diligently followed the rule of the Holy Fathers;
• Rejoice, for you tirelessly spoke to us of the love of God and the heavenly Fatherland;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 5

Like a guiding star and an enlightener of the mind, the Lord gave you Divine Grace, O God-loving Father Silouan, strengthening you through it in saving asceticism as once the Prophet Elijah at the Brook Cherith, and feeding you in wondrous manner from the inexhaustible treasures of the Holy Spirit. And thus, burning with love for the loving God, from youth to old age watching and from the morning watch until night praying for the whole world, like a sweet-sounding lute, unceasingly you cried to God: Alleluia!

Oikos 5

Seeing you, most venerable Father Silouan, in the good struggle seeking the love of God as an infant seeks its mother’s milk and longing with great desire for His comfort and crying with tears: “Attend, my soul, to the love of God and be warmed, O my heart,” and also “Who will give me such a burning, that I may know no rest day or night, from the love of God?” We tremble in heart and are humbled in soul before such love towards the all-merciful God and with compunction we sing to you such things:

• Rejoice, for you ever asked for the righteousness of God, like greatly sweetening honey;
• Rejoice, for in love for the Lord you vied with the angels;
• Rejoice, for from your heart, as from a lamp of pure prayer, you raised the flame of inner fire towards the Lord;
• Rejoice, for you adorned things above and things below with the beauty of your angelic piety;
• Rejoice, for your heart became like the flame of the unburnt bush;
• Rejoice, for as Moses for the chosen people, you raise your hands to God for all people;
• Rejoice, for at all times you desired the judgments of the Lord and sought His statutes with your whole soul;
• Rejoice, for unceasingly you cried: “Save, O Lord, Your people and bless Your inheritance!”;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 6

You showed yourself an unceasing preacher of hesychia, O you who pleased God well, when the loving Lord, testing your love, deprived you of the visitation of the Most Holy Spirit. For this, understanding that you had lost grace, as once Adam lamented the loss of Paradise, you called to Him with a sorrowful heart and with tears: “Lord, You before visited me and made me worthy of Your Holy Spirit and my soul loved You, but now my soul longs for You”; and lamenting in this manner, but hoping in the mercy of God, you cried to Him: Alleluia!

Oikos 6

You shone forth, O God-loving Father Silouan, as a new seer of Mysteries, for through humility and prayer with tears you acquired the grace of the Holy Spirit and your heart was filled with ineffable love. And tasting and understanding the power of grace, with the boldness of Elijah you cried: “Lord! Not only to me, but to the whole world grant to know Your love and be saved!” Therefore, having you as an unsleeping intercessor before God, with humility we sing to you:

• Rejoice, for you opened heaven when together with the Lord you were crucified, praying for the dead, for the living and for those who have not yet come into the world;
• Rejoice, for by this love you acquired the Kingdom of Heaven;
• Rejoice, for you showed yourself the true embodiment of pure faith and guilelessness;
• Rejoice, for you obtained forgiveness from Christ for those close to you who had fallen into sin;
• Rejoice, unsleeping worker in the garden of the Mother of God, who strengthens those exhausted in ascetic labours;
• Rejoice, sweet lute of Mount Athos, which announces the future life;
• Rejoice, treasury of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and obedient servant of the most blessed Abbess;
• Rejoice, faithful fellow-struggler with those who pleased God;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 7

Wishing the loving God to show in you a new lamp of grace, venerable Father Silouan, like an olive branch rooted in the Russian land of the Athonite desert He planted you and with the grace of the Holy Spirit bedewed you, making you very fruitful: for through your deeds and words, as through a life-giving oil, you guided all to purity and temperance, piety and brotherly love – and they, being united by the bond of love, subjecting the worse things through the better, sang to God: Alleluia!

Oikos 7

As a new fellow-struggler with the hermits, a guide and teacher of monks and laypeople, the Lord showed you, most venerable Silouan. For you, while still living in the world, taught forgiveness in Christ to a certain soldier whose wife had been led astray into falling into sin and, for this, he had become hardened in anger, and thus their family – a little church – you saved from dissolution; you called monks fallen into despondency to the acquisition of soulful peace and, teaching them the fear of the Lord, you brought them to repentance; and thus you prepared all to become inhabitants of Paradise. And we, knowing you to care for the salvation of all, with love sing to you, according to due honour:

• Rejoice, for in the search for Christ you struggled together with the lovers of the hermitic life;
• Rejoice, zealous practitioner of brotherly love and fervent intercessor for all;
• Rejoice, for on the path of life, in pains and troubles, you are a faithful companion to those who call upon you;
• Rejoice, for to those in illnesses, sorrows and soulful afflictions you are an unfeigned servant;
• Rejoice, herald of the love of God, who through your gentle word called all to reconciliation with God and neighbour;
• Rejoice, for confessing that the Lord is good, you encouraged souls weakened by sins with the hope of forgiveness;
• Rejoice, faithful ascetic who with tears intercedes for the salvation of all people;
• Rejoice, for having your mind in hell, you desire mercy for all unrepentant sinners;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 8

An ineffable wonder the Lord revealed to you, most venerable Father Silouan, when your elder-confessor Abbot Abraham showed you his face shining indescribably and thus, through the wondrous change, taught you purely to honour the Mystery of Repentance; and we, seeing that you entrusted your will to the spiritual father as to the Lord Himself, cutting off through humility and repentance your evil wills, learn to entrust ourselves to the will of God revealed through the servants of the Church of Christ and by this, before our departure from the body, being kept from the wrath of God and the coming Judgment, we sing to God thrice: Alleluia!

Oikos 8

Seeking with all your heart and with your whole soul, you acquired the humility of Christ, O most wondrous and well-pleasing to God Father, and with the Beloved for the world you were crucified together, with tears praying: “O most sweet Jesus! You have made my soul love You and love my neighbour. Grant me to shed tears for the whole world, that all people may know You and inherit Your peace and see the light of Your Face.” And we, who have spent our life in sins, obtaining salvation through your prayers, bless you with words such as these:

• Rejoice, for struggling unceasingly in prayer for people, you followed the all-powerful Mother Protectress;
• Rejoice, for as once Jeremiah wept for the people, you also on the Holy Mountain bedewed it with tears;
• Rejoice, most wondrous ascetic of Athos, who asked for salvation for the whole world as for your own soul;
• Rejoice, loving father of sons, who with tears intercedes before God for all who perish in sins;
• Rejoice, joy and wonder of the angels, who are loved and well-pleasing to God;
• Rejoice, luminous radiance in the Athonite desert and pure reflection of the holiness of your race;
• Rejoice, for through humility and obedience you showed the world the image of angelic beauty in your earthly body;
• Rejoice, for through the warmth of your prayer you wish to make us a chamber of the Divine Spirit;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 9

All the angelic choirs and the multitude of ascetics marvelled at your humility and love for people, Father Silouan, for fulfilling your obedience as steward, you resembled the most humble Joseph in Egypt when not only of the company of the Holy co-dwellers, but also of the labourers from the world who worked in the monastery, as of children of God you took care. For this, to God Who loves the whole creation, you cried: “Lord, send Your Holy Spirit and comfort the sorrowful souls of these afflicted people.” And in every being you showed the beauty of humble-mindedness, unceasingly singing to God: Alleluia!

Oikos 9

The many-speaking orators cannot describe the power of your love, most wondrous Father Silouan, for you thirsted with tears to quench every enmity and disorder among people and reconciled all with God, crying to the Master of the world: “Lord, with You I thirst to be and to You for all humanity I pray, that all may be saved!” and teaching people: “My children, pray for enemies, for they are your brothers and your life, and the enemy of this world is only the devil.” And by these things being guided also we to love for God, for brothers and for enemies, we sing to you:

• Rejoice, for through love for enemies you became like Christ on Golgotha;
• Rejoice, for raising your hands in prayer for your enemies, with soul and heart you followed Him Who was crucified for us;
• Rejoice, for you cared for those close to you and were not deprived of the beauty of grace-filled hesychia;
• Rejoice, for loving your neighbours, you acquired the unceasing power of prayer;
• Rejoice, for through fasting and prayer you broke the arrow of the evil one to the end;
• Rejoice, for you taught us to overcome the evils and crafts of the devil;
• Rejoice, for at the mill of Christ you exhausted your body through labour and gave to your heart prayer as sanctified bread for delight;
• Rejoice, for you abundantly fed the workers of the garden of the Queen of Heaven with the bread of the Most Holy Name;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 10

Seeking the salvation of the soul and desiring attachment to Christ, from the land of your fathers you humbly departed to the Holy Mountain, where abiding in temperance and hesychia you acquired beauty equal to that of the angels, through diligence and love for people. And thus on a blessed morning, when the other Athonite dwellers were raising songs to the Creator, you obtained a good end and entrusted your soul, fed with the life-giving Body and Blood of the Lord, into His divine hands, that together with all the Saints you might ever sing to the Word without beginning and God, Whose Name in you was sanctified: Alleluia!

Oikos 10

To the King of Heaven, Whom the cherubim and seraphim and the choirs of the Saints glorify, you served without rest through your life, faith and love, most venerable one; and now like a well-fragrant lily you stand before the throne of the Most Holy Trinity together with all the chosen ones of the most pure Mother of God. Be, therefore, most venerable one, a zealous intercessor before God for the peace and well-being of the world, and for the Holy Church an embassy of unceasing prayer and a warm protector, that delivering us from needs, with thanksgiving we may sing to you:

• Rejoice, angel in flesh from the Russian land, who in a most chosen manner struggled on the Holy Mountain;
• Rejoice, for for the land of your fathers you were an unceasing intercessor at the Throne of God;
• Rejoice, loving boldness and fervent intercessor for all who seek God with good faith;
• Rejoice, swift protector of the monks in the Athonite garden and of those who follow you in asceticism;
• Rejoice, for without murmuring you bore the trials of the common life and the pains of your body;
• Rejoice, for you entrusted your soul, purified with tears of repentance, to the Pure One;
• Rejoice, faithful worker of the vine of Christ, who on Mount Zion was called by the Lord;
• Rejoice, for there, celebrating together with the Saints and angels, you were crowned with glory and honour;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 11

A song of praise we offer to you, who pleased God well, Father Silouan, for burning with love for the Lord – Who thirsted for the salvation of the world and with His humility overcame the devil – you followed Him with faith and the desert of Athos you well fragrant with pure prayer, showing us also the image of the angelic life adorned with the most fruitful gifts of the Holy Spirit. And thus, on the Holy Mountain as in Paradise living, you put the enemy to shame and your soul acquired the heavenly Kingdom, and you guided us through love to cling to God, singing to Him: Alleluia!

Oikos 11

In our times the Lord showed you to the whole world, most venerable Father, a bearer of the Holy Spirit and of the light-giving Light, both in life and after your death, looking at you, illumined with the beauty of earthly ascetic labours and like a cherub fellow-praying with the heavenly choirs, that we may be assured of the hope of salvation, follow the righteous life with all zeal, renounce our will and with joy submit to the love of God, that the glorification of the loving God may be strengthened also in our bodies and souls and with love we may sing to you such things:

• Rejoice, for you strengthened us in love for God through the example of your pure and ascetic life;
• Rejoice, for full of ardour you exposed the lawless and taught us to keep the mysteries and traditions of the right-glorifying faith;
• Rejoice, for through your hermitic life you strove to resemble Peter the Athonite in fasting and hesychia;
• Rejoice, for you followed Abba Athanasius with faith through care for the monastic life in purity;
• Rejoice, new enlightener of the faith, for in our days you showed the “True Way” to the Lord;
• Rejoice, for you give wondrous testimony to all of the undiminished grace of the Holy Spirit in the Orthodox Church;
• Rejoice, for before the Throne of Glory you stand as a faithful servant of the Saviour;
• Rejoice, for there you ask for us a Christian end and a good answer at His Terrible Judgment;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 12

While still on earth, most venerable one, as in heaven, where everything lives and moves in the joy of the Holy Spirit, Christ, our God, poured out upon you the ineffable power of grace, that thus illumined you might offer up prayers for the whole world together with the company of Athonite ascetics and with all the Saints. And we, knowing these things, pray you: direct, most venerable Father, fervent prayer to the Lord that He may have mercy and strengthen His Holy Church for ever for our salvation, protect the lovers of hesychia and give them strength that they may ever glorify the Name of God, that together with the angelic choirs we also may sing: Alleluia!

Oikos 12

Singing your glorious memory, O God-loving Father Silouan, according to worth we bless your pains and labours, for in vigil and fasting together with all the chosen ones of the Mother of God, with zeal you struggled. Who can number your labours and the sighs in the prayers with tears offered for the world? For through them you ever turn the wrath of the Lord, caused by our sins, into mercy, that through His love for mankind He may preserve the Holy Church from desolation until the end of the age according to the promised word. And we, knowing these things and thanking you for intercession and protection, with humility sing to you:

• Rejoice, for you diligently followed the guidance through the Holy Spirit;
• Rejoice, for Christ – the Power and Wisdom of God – appeared to your bodily eyes;
• Rejoice, humble ascetic of Christ, joy and praise of the Mother of God before all the heavenly and earthly;
• Rejoice, unsleeping intercessor for the world, for you are comfort and hope for salvation;
• Rejoice, inheritor of the Kingdom of Christ, who through your asceticism adorned Mount Athos;
• Rejoice, fellow-worker of our hope of salvation, for you illumined our path to God and strengthened us on the way;
• Rejoice, gilded trumpet, for together with all the saints and angels you announce the glory of God;
• Rejoice, for receiving from the Lord the crown of victory, you do not forget us in your prayers, us earthly ones;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 13

O most wondrous ascetic of Christ, Silouan, blessed offspring of the Russian land, glory and adornment of the lovers of hesychia on the Holy Mountain, receive also from us this unworthy prayer and ask of Christ, our God, Who was crucified for the whole world, to have mercy on all His sons, to gather us together through the grace of the Holy Spirit into the unity of His love and with the judgments which He knows to bring us to Himself; and through your prayers may He not put us to shame on the day of Judgment before the Face of His glory, but make us worthy to sing to Him together with all the Saints and angels the song of victory: Alleluia! (this kontakion is said three times)

Then again are said Oikos 1 and Kontakion 1.

Oikos 1

The Maker of angels and the Lord of Hosts chose you from your mother’s womb and, according to the Psalmist’s word, gave you a “deep heart,” Father Silouan, so that the uncontainable name of God Most High might dwell in it as in a most choice chamber, that by the power and wisdom of God you might follow the angelic life. For these things, praising your wondrous deeds and earthly labours, with reverence we call to you:

• Rejoice, fruit of purity from God-fearing parents;
• Rejoice, for you loved your parents’ piety with your whole soul;
• Rejoice, for through temperance and love of God you wished to become like them;
• Rejoice, for from childhood seeking your joy in God, you were wondrously made wise;
• Rejoice, for your heart ever sought to know and submit to the will of God;
• Rejoice, for you thirsted for the fountain of divine grace like a deer;
• Rejoice, for from your youth you sweetened your mind with the Word of God as with most sweet honey;
• Rejoice, fragrant flower with deeds of faith of imperishable beauty;
• Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Kontakion 1

To you, chosen wrestler of the Lord and earthly angel, most venerable Father Silouan, now with joy we offer a song of praise! In unceasing vigil, in fasting and humility, being a most chosen follower of the Athonite fathers, through thirst for God and burning love towards Him, you acquired abundant grace for your soul and, becoming an imitator of Christ, Who was crucified for all people, with tears you prayed for those who suffer in hell, for the living and for those who will yet come into the world. Do not deprive us either of this your love, for finding ourselves in the pit of transgressions, we ask for your intercession before God and with compunction we cry: Rejoice, Father Silouan, unquenchable flame of love in prayer for the world!

Prayer to Saint Silouan the Athonite

O holy Silouan, with your tears you acquired the humility of Christ in the Holy Spirit and became a teacher of love for enemies in this age full of hatred and turmoil! O sweet psaltery of repentance and blessed lute of the Holy Spirit!

We, inspired by your chosen life, bend our knees before your holiness which puts to shame those who no longer believe that God works in His Church, and we confess to you that our hearts sigh after your peace, after your love for God, for people and for enemies.

We confess that we need your intercession for us before God, holy Silouan, for we are greatly troubled in this world which teaches us to be evil, lovers of vain glory and slaves of sin. Pray, holy Father, that He may grant us also His meekness, long-suffering, silence, temperance and His divine love for all creation.

Holy Silouan, you who passed through so many spiritual trials strengthened by the Holy Spirit, do not let us be swallowed up by the sea of this world. Be our guide, be our leader, intercede ever for us that we may quench the flame of passions, overcome the evil in our hearts and thus save our souls.

Thus, venerable Father Silouan, adornment of the monks of the Holy Mountain of Athos, you who made yourself a dwelling of the Holy Trinity, deliver those who with faith perform your honoured memory and those who kiss with piety your relics, for the glory of Him Who was glorified in you and grants through you healing to all who run to your help.

Seeing our evil and nothingness, O Lord, our God, Who numbered Saint Silouan in the company of Your chosen ones, send him to us as a true Father, to guide us how to live a seemly life, a life of asceticism and prayer, that we may find You merciful at the hour of death and at the Terrible Judgment. Amen.