5th Saturday of Great Lent: of the Akathist to the Theotokos
Troparion — Tone 8
When the archangel understood the mysterious command, / he came to the house of Joseph with haste and proclaimed to the unwedded Lady: / The One Who bowed the heavens by His condescension / is contained wholly and without change in you! / As I behold Him in your womb, taking the form of a servant, I am frightened, but cry: / Rejoice, unwedded Bride!
Kontakion — Tone 8
Victorious leader of triumphant hosts, / we your servants, delivered from evil, sing our grateful thanks to you, Theotokos! / As you possess invincible might set us free from every calamity, / so that we may sing: Rejoice, unwedded Bride!
Martyr Sabinus of Egypt
Troparion — Tone 1
With godliness you preached to the ungodly / that the Creator of all took flesh without undergoing change. / You excelled in your holy contest, / for by meeting death in the river you attained to the Source of incorruption. / Therefore, we praise you, blessed Sabinus.
Kontakion — Tone 2
God-bearing Sabinus, / you are a divine root, an unfading blossom, / a branch heavily-laden with fruit. / Fill with gladness those who honor your memory, / and unceasingly pray for us all!
Martyr Papas of Lyconia
Troparion — Tone 3
Your holy martyr Papas, O Lord, / through his suffering 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 Papas; / extinguishing the allure of false gods, / you enlighten the faithful, / always interceding for us all.
Saint Serapion, Archbishop of Novgorod
Troparion — Tone 8
Truly, you appeared as a hard diamond, like your Master and Lord in all things, / you endured unjust persecutions joyously; / therefore Christ has numbered you among the Hierarchs and Martyrs, / and has given you to your flock as a treasure which cannot be taken away, enriching all with miracles; / therefore we, who come to the shrine with your relics, call upon you with love: / O great among Hierarchs and wondrous among Martyrs. / O most esteemed Bishop Serapion, our Father, pray to the all-good God for the salvation of our souls.
Kontakion — Tone 3
As a crown of glory has been adorned today with Novgorod the Great, / rejoicing in remembrance of its pastor and teacher, / and, having placed a royal crown, the great Lavra rejoices brightly, / where God glorified you, His saint, / and showed it to our generation Thy relics, which bring healing, / O most glorious Holy Hierarch Serapion, / and the Church of God rejoices, / gathering a monastic assembly and all the faithful, that they may cry aloud: / “Rejoice, Great Novgorod and the honorable Monastery of Saint Sergius, / the brightest lamp in all the Russian land.”
Apostle Aristobulus of the Seventy, Bishop of Britain
Troparion — Tone 3
Holy Apostle Aristobulus, / entreat the merciful God, / to grant our souls forgiveness of transgressions.
Hieromartyr Alexander, Pope of Rome
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 Alexander, entreat Christ God to save our souls.
Martyr Julian of Anazarbus
Troparion — Tone 4
Your holy martyr Julian, 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 Julian; / extinguishing the allure of false gods, / you enlighten the faithful, / always interceding for us all.
Hieromartyrs Trophimus and Thalus of Laodicea
Troparion — Tone 4
O God of our Fathers, / always act with kindness towards us; / take not Your mercy from us, / but guide our lives in peace / through the prayers of the hierarchs Trophimus and Thalus.
Kontakion — Tone 8
(Podoben: “As the first fruits...”)
The Church glorifies you as teachers of virtue and adornments of hierarchs, / singing: “By your intercessions for those who lovingly honor you, / grant progress in virtue, and deliverance from temptations.”
Saints Pimen of Salosi and Anton Meskhi, Enlighteners of Dagestan and the North Caucasus people
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 fathers Pimen and Anton, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!
Saint Christódoulos, Wonderworker of Patmos
Troparion — Tone 4
(Podoben: “O citizen of the desert...”)
O brethren, let us honor the godly-minded Christódoulos with hymns, / the offspring of Nicaea, the boast of Patmos, and the glory of monks. / Let us venerate his relics, / and so receive healing of soul and body, crying out: / “Glory to Him Who strengthened you. / Glory to Him Who crowned you. / Glory to Him Who, through you, works healings for all.”
Kontakion — Tone 4
(Podoben: “You appeared today...”)
Since we possess your relics as a holy place of healing for all our diseases and afflictions, / we are delivered from them, and we cry aloud to you, / “Rejoice, O renowned Christódoulos.”
Saint Ambrose the Confessor
Troparion — Tone 8
Champion of Orthodoxy, teacher of purity and of true worship, / the enlightener of the universe and the adornment of hierarchs: / all-wise father Ambrose, your teachings have gleamed with light upon all things. / Intercede before Christ God to save our souls.