Troparia and kontakia for August 21

Afterfeast of the Dormition of the Mother of God

Troparion — Tone 1

In giving birth you preserved your virginity, / in falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos. / You were translated to life, O Mother of Life, / and by your prayers, you deliver our souls from death.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Neither the tomb, nor death could hold the Theotokos, / who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. / For being the Mother of Life, / she was translated to life by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb.

Apostle Thaddeus of the Seventy

Troparion — Tone 4

O holy Apostle Thaddeus, witness of God, / Who appeared in the flesh for our sake, / you brought the light of saving grace to those in darkness / and were revealed as an excellent physician to those in Edessa. / Wherefore shelter those who fervently seek you.

Kontakion — Tone 4

The Church has acquired you as a brilliant star, / and is ever enlightened by your miracles, O Apostle Thaddeus. / Save those who in faith honor your memory.

Martyr Bassa of Edessa and her sons Theogonius, Agapius, and Pistus

Troparion — Tone 4

Your holy martyr Bassa and her sons, 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

Venerable Abramius the Wonderworker, Archimandrite of Smolensk

Troparion — Tone 8

By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile, / and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance. / By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe! / O our holy father Abramius, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!

Venerable Ephraim the Wonderworker, disciple of Abramius, and Archimandrite of Smolensk

Troparion — Tone 8

By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile, / and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance. / By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe! / O our holy father Ephraim, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!

Venerable Abramius the lover-of-labor of the Kiev Near Caves

Troparion — Tone 1

Dweller of the desert and angel in the body, / you were shown to be a wonderworker, our God-bearing Father Abraham. / You received heavenly gifts through fasting, vigil, and prayer: / healing the sick and the souls of those drawn to you by faith. / Glory to Him who gave you strength! / Glory to Him who granted you a crown! / Glory to Him who through you grants healing to all!

Kontakion — Tone 2

(Podoben: “You sought the heights...”)
Having divinely armed yourself with the purity of your soul, / and firmly grasping unceasing prayer as a spear, you pierced the armies of demons. / O our Father Abraham, pray unceasingly for us all.

Saint Sarmean, Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia

Troparion — Tone 4

In truth you were revealed to your flock as a rule of faith, / an image of humility and a teacher of abstinence; / your humility exalted you; your poverty enriched you. / Hierarch Father Sarmean, / entreat Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

New Martyr Simeon of Samokov

Troparion — Tone 3

Your holy martyr Simeon, O Lord, / through his sufferings has received an incorruptible crown from You, our God. / For having Your strength, he laid low his adversaries, / and shattered the powerless boldness of demons. / Through his intercessions, save our souls!

Kontakion — Tone 2

(Podoben: “You sought the heights...”)
You appeared as a bright star announcing Christ with your radiance, / which is repulsive to this world, O Martyr Simeon; / extinguishing the allure of false gods, / you enlighten the faithful, / always interceding for us all.

Hieromartyr Raphael of Serbia

Troparion — Tone 4

By sharing in the ways of the Apostles, / you became a successor to their throne. / Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God; / by teaching the word of truth without error, you defended the Faith, / even to the shedding of your blood. / Hieromartyr Raphael, entreat Christ God to save our souls.

Venerable Cornelius of Paleostrov, Olonets

Troparion — Tone 5

From your youth, O most wise one, you contested diligently; / instructed by God, you left your homeland, the city of Pskov, / and settled in the wilderness on an island in the great Lake Onega; / wisely gathering monks, you established a monastery with the blessing of the Holy Spirit, / and built a temple dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos in honor of her Nativity. / By the streams of your tears you drowned the bodiless enemies, / and by the purity of your life, you were united with the assembly of the Angels, O / Venerable Father Cornelius, / with them, entreat Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion — Tone 3

You were like an Angel in the flesh on earth, / having been prepared by repentance, O Venerable Father Cornelius, / you were the instructor of many monks; / therefore we cry out to you, / “Entreat Christ God for the salvation of our souls.”

Hieromartyr Raphael of Sisatovac

Troparion — Tone 4

By sharing in the ways of the Apostles, / you became a successor to their throne. / Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God; / by teaching the word of truth without error, you defended the Faith, / even to the shedding of your blood. / Hieromartyr Raphael, entreat Christ God to save our souls.

Venerable Schema-nun Martha of Diveyevo

Troparion — Tone 2

You attained a life like that of the Angels, / O wondrous virgin and converser with Saint Seraphim, / our lady and Mother Martha, / now that you rest with your incorrupt relics and stand at the Throne of God, / pray to the merciful God of Heaven for us, / O Superior of Diveyevo.1

Kontakion — Tone 8

You were filled with heavenly meekness, silence, and unearthly joy, / young and unseen until now, O virgin of Diveyevo, our venerable Mother Martha; / you were tonsured into the Great Schema by Saint Seraphim, / therefore you dwell with the wise virgins1 in heaven, / and with the Angels, you always stand before the Ruler of All.

1 Saint Martha was not the Superior of the earthly Monastery. Toward the end of this posted Life, Saint Seraphim explained to the Eldress Eudokia Ephraimna that Schema-nun Martha, more than any of his twelve chosen virgins, had attained such holiness that in the Kingdom, "she is above you, she will be the eldest" i.e. their Superior.
2 Matthew 25:1-13.