Troparia and kontakia for December 27

Commemoration of the Holy Righteous David the King, Joseph the Betrothed, and James the Brother of the Lord

Troparion — Tone 2

O Joseph, proclaim the wonders to David, the ancestor of God: / you have seen a Virgin great with child; you gave glory with the shepherds; / you worshipped with the Magi; / you received an answer from the Angel.1 / Beseech Christ God to save our souls.


1 Matthew 1: 20-21.

Kontakion — Tone 3

(Podoben: “Today the Virgin..”)
Today the godly David is filled with gladness / and Joseph offers praise with James. / Having received the crown of their kinship with Christ, they rejoice, / praising in song Him Who is inexpressibly born on earth, / crying out: “O Compassionate One, save those who honor You!”

Holy Righteous Joseph the Betrothed

Troparion — Tone 2

O Joseph, proclaim the wonders to David, the ancestor of God: / you have seen a Virgin great with child; you gave glory with the shepherds; / you worshipped with the Magi; / you received an answer from the Angel.1 / Beseech Christ God to save our souls.


1 Matthew 1: 20-21.

Kontakion — Tone 3

(Podoben: “Today the Virgin..”)
Today the godly David is filled with gladness / and Joseph offers praise with James. / Having received the crown of their kinship with Christ, they rejoice, / praising in song Him Who is inexpressibly born on earth, / crying out: “O Compassionate One, save those who honor You!”

Holy Righteous David the King

Troparion — Tone 2

O Joseph, proclaim the wonders to David, the ancestor of God: / you have seen a Virgin great with child; you gave glory with the shepherds; / you worshipped with the Magi; / you received an answer from the Angel.1 / Beseech Christ God to save our souls.


1 Matthew 1: 20-21.

Kontakion — Tone 3

(Podoben: “Today the Virgin..”)
Today the godly David is filled with gladness / and Joseph offers praise with James. / Having received the crown of their kinship with Christ, they rejoice, / praising in song Him Who is inexpressibly born on earth, / crying out: “O Compassionate One, save those who honor You!”

Righteous James the Brother of the Lord

Troparion — Tone 2

O Joseph, proclaim the wonders to David, the ancestor of God: / you have seen a Virgin great with child; you gave glory with the shepherds; / you worshipped with the Magi; / you received an answer from the Angel.1 / Beseech Christ God to save our souls.


1 Matthew 1: 20-21.

Kontakion — Tone 3

(Podoben: “Today the Virgin..”)
Today the godly David is filled with gladness / and Joseph offers praise with James. / Having received the crown of their kinship with Christ, they rejoice, / praising in song Him Who is inexpressibly born on earth, / crying out: “O Compassionate One, save those who honor You!”

Third Day of the Nativity of our Lord

Troparion — Tone 4

Your Nativity, O Christ our God, / has shone to the world the Light of knowledge; / for by it, those who worshipped the stars / were taught by a star to adore You, / the Sun of Righteousness,1 / and to know You, the Dayspring2 from on High. / O Lord, glory to You!

Kontakion — Tone 3

(Original Melody)
Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One, / and the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One! / Angels with shepherds glorify Him. / The wise men journey with a star, / since for our sake the Pre-Eternal God was born as a young Child.3


1 Malachi 4:2.
2 The beginning of day, dawn.
3 Literally: Since for our sake, God before the ages was born as a young Child.

Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen

Troparion — Tone 4

(Podoben: “Go quickly before...“)
Your head is crowned with a royal diadem, / because of the struggles you endured for Christ God, O first of the Martyrs to suffer; / for when you rebuked the fury1 of the Jews, / you saw your Savior at the Father's right hand. / Always pray to Him for our souls.

Kontakion — Tone 3

(Podoben: “Today the Virgin...”)
Yesterday the Master came to us in the flesh, / today His servant departs from the flesh; / yesterday the King was born in the flesh, / and today His servant is stoned; / for His sake, the Protomartyr and divine Stephen is perfected.


1 Acts 7:54

Venerable Theodore Graptus, “the branded,” 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 Theodore, your teachings have gleamed with light upon all things. / Intercede before Christ God to save our souls.

Saint Theodore, Archbishop of Constantinople

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 Theodore, / entreat Christ our God / that our souls may be saved.