Troparia and kontakia for September 18

Afterfeast of the Elevation of the Cross

Troparion — Tone 1

O Lord, save Your people, / and bless Your inheritance. / Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians / over their adversaries. / And by virtue of Your Cross, / preserve Your habitation.

Kontakion — Tone 4

As You were voluntarily raised upon the cross for our sake, / grant mercy to those who are called by Your Name, O Christ God; / make all Orthodox Christians glad by Your power, / granting them victories over their adversaries, / by bestowing on them the Invincible trophy, Your weapon of Peace.

Saint Eumenius, Bishop of Gortyna

Troparion — Tone 4

We have you as a friend and helper, / gracious advocate Eumenius: / For compassion flowed from you / and you pour forth healing on the Church. / Protect those who honor you.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Radiant with divine light, O blessed one, / illumine us who lovingly praise your precious and glorious passing; / hierarch father Eumenius, / unceasingly intercede for us all.

Martyr Ariádnē of Phrygia

Troparion — Tone 4

Your lamb Ariadne calls out to You, O Jesus, in a loud voice: / "I love You, my Bridegroom, and in seeking You I endure suffering. / In baptism I was crucified so that I might reign in You, / and I died so that I might live with You. / Accept me as a pure sacrifice, / for I have offered myself in love." / Through her prayers save our souls, since You are merciful.

Martyrs Sophia, Irene, and Castor of Egypt

Troparion — Tone 4

Your holy martyrs Sophia, Irene, and Castor, O Lord, / through their sufferings have received incorruptible crowns from You, our God. / For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries, / and shattered the powerless boldness of demons. / Through their intercessions, save our souls!

Greatmartyr Prince Bidzini and Martyrs Princes Elizabar and Shalvi, of Georgia

Troparion — Tone 4

Your holy martyrs O Lord, / through their sufferings have received incorruptible crowns from You, our God. / For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries, / and shattered the powerless boldness of demons. / Through their intercessions, save our souls!

“The Healer” Icon of the Mother of God

Troparion — Tone 4

From your holy icon, O Lady Theotokos, / salvation and healing is granted abundantly to all those who come to you with love and faith; / visit also my infirmity and show mercy to my soul, O Good One, / and heal my body by your grace.

Kontakion — Tone 6

We have no other help, we have no other hope, but you, O Lady. / Help us, for in you we hope, / and of you we boast, for we are your servants. / Let us not be put to shame.

Venerable Euphrosynē of Suzdal

Troparion — Tone 4

The land of Suzdal rejoiceth in your holy memory, / while believers assemble in your all-honorable temple, where now your most glorious memory is celebrated. / O venerable Euphrosynē, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion — Tone 6

The fair Euphrosynē cried out to Christ, / “My sweetest Bridegroom, the sweetness of my love for Thee, / and the graciousness of Thy mercy, inspire my soul with hope. / My heart rejoiceth, enduring difficult labors for Thy name’s sake; / hoping that Thou wilt account me worthy of joy in Thy Bridal Chamber with the wise virgins.” / Therefore, O venerable one, honoring the struggle of thy labors, we entreat thee: / Pray that the doors of the Bridal Chamber will not be closed to us.

Kontakion — Tone 2

By filling the pure vessel of virginity with the oil of prayers and love, / thou didst kindle an unquenchable lamp in thy heart, O venerable one; / and being vigilant, thou didst go forth to meet the Heavenly Bridegroom with them, / and wast accepted into His Bridal Chamber, / where now thou abidest with the angels and the saints, we entreat thee: / pray unto Christ God, to deliver us from the fate of the foolish virgins.*


* Matthew 15:1-13

Venerable Hilarion of Optina

Troparion — Tone 4

Divine healer of passions, tried and tested helmsman of faith, / you received the gift of healing from the Lord, and glorious victories over demons, / O wondrous Father Hilarion, / all that was hidden has been revealed, and heretical ideas destroyed. / Therefore, pray to Christ God to deliver us from the delusion of the devil, and to save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 7

Despising all the good things of this world, / you received spiritual peace in your heart, / and by abhoring earthly pleasures, you were enriched with heavenly gifts. / Therefore, you protected Christ's flock by driving away the darkness of schism. / Save us by your prayers, O divinely-enlightened Elder Hilarion.

Kontakion — Tone 5

Fellow participant in the spiritual mysteries of the Optina Elders, / and co-inheritor of the land of the Sovereign Lady, / you blossomed like a prolific tree in the garden of the wilderness / and, like a good shepherd, you strengthened the flock of Christ. / Now entreat Christ God to preserve us in Orthodoxy and in piety, / and to strengthen all who revere you with love.