Troparia and kontakia for May 8

Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women with the Noble Joseph

Troparion — Tone 2

The comely Joseph, / when he had taken down Your most pure Body from the tree, / wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices, / and placed it in a new tomb. / But You rose on the third day, O Lord, / granting the world great mercy.

Troparion — Tone 2

Appearing to the Myrrh-bearing Women at the tomb, the Angel exclaimed: / “Myrrh is meet for the dead; / but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption. / So proclaim: ‘The Lord is risen, granting the world great mercy.’”

Troparion — Tone 4

(Podoben: “You appeared to your flock as a rule of faith...”)
You visited Christ the Lord in the night, / and were born from above1 being received, as it were, as a secret Apostle. / With good courage you disputed with the Pharisees and Scribes2 / and followed the Savior. / Taking Him dead from the Cross, / you wrapped Him in cloths with myrrh and laid Him in the tomb, / O fervent3 Νikόdēmos.


1 John 3:3
2 John 7:50
3 or zealous

Kontakion — Tone 2

When You proclaimed “Rejoice” to the Myrrhbearers, / You caused the lamentation of the foremother Eve to cease by Your Resurrection; O Christ God; / commanding Your Apostles to proclaim: / “The Savior is risen from the tomb.”

Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian

Troparion — Tone 2

O beloved Apostle of Christ our God, / come quickly to deliver your helpless people. / He on whose breast you leaned, will accept you as intercessor. / Entreat Him, O Theologian, to disperse the clouds of darkness, / granting us peace and great mercy!

Kontakion — Tone 2

Who shall declare your greatness, / O virgin disciple, / for you pour forth wonders and are a source of healings, / and pray for our souls as theologian and friend of Christ.

Venerable Arsenius the Great

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 Arsenius, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!

Kontakion — Tone 2

You shone from Rome as a great sun and reached the royal city,1 most blessed one, / enlightening it by your words and deeds, and dispersing the darkness of foolishness. / Therefore, we honor you, O Venerable Arsenios, glory of the Fathers.


1 Constantinople

Venerable Arsenius the Lover-of-Labor of the Kiev Far Caves

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 Arsenius, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!

Venerable Pimen the Ascetic of the Kiev Far Caves

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 Pimen, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!