Troparia and kontakia for May 27

Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council

Troparion — Tone 8

You are most glorious, O Christ our God! / You have established the Holy Fathers as lights on the earth! / Through them you have guided us to the true faith! / O greatly Compassionate One, glory to You!

Kontakion — Tone 8

The Apostles’ preaching and the Fathers’ doctrines have established one faith for the Church. / Adorned with the robe of truth, woven from heavenly theology, / it defines and glorifies the great mystery of Orthodoxy!

Hieromartyr Therapon, Bishop of Sardis

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 Therapon, entreat Christ God to save our souls.

(The Typikon does not prescribe a Kontakion.)

Translation of the relics of Venerable Nilus of Stolobensk

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

Saint John the Russian and Confessor, whose relics are on the island of Euboia

Troparion — Tone 4

(Podoben: “Be quick to anticipate...”)
He Who called you from earth into the heavenly abodes, / keeps your body1 incorrupt even after your death, O righteous John; / for you were taken as a prisoner into Asia / where you also won Christ as your friend. / Therefore, entreat Him that our souls may be saved.


1 Literally “tabernacle.” In monastic literature the body of a Saint is sometimes called a tabernacle.

Kontakion — Tone 4

O Righteous Father John, / the holy memory of your illustrious contests has come today, / gladdening the souls of those who honor you with reverence and faith.

Venerable Therapon, Abbot of White Lake

Troparion — Tone 4

Enlightened by a pure way of life, / in prayers and fasting you were shown as a beautiful shoot in the wilderness; / following your spiritual teacher, you directed your thoughts to Heaven, / you were the instructor of your flock; / therefore we entreat you, O Father Therapon, "Pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls."

Kontakion — Tone 4

Christ, our Most Blessed Savior has multiplied His mercy toward us, / by giving our Venerable Father Therápon as an intercessor and a healer he illumines us with the light of his holy life; / and now, by his prayers, he protects his temple from enemies, and from destruction; / this land from hell, and from a vain death; / and all those who honor his memory from sickness, and from fierce passions.

Kontakion — Tone 8

Aflame with desire for Christ, you repulsed carnal passions through abstinence, / and by acquiring fasting, O Venerable one, you were enriched with the gift of working miracles, / exuding healing and supplicating God for us, / joyously we cry: “Rejoice, O Father Therápon.”

Translation of the relics of Saints Cyprian, Photius, and Jonah, Metropolitans of Moscow and All Russia

Troparion — Tone 4

In truth you were revealed to your flocks as a rule of faith, / images of humility and teachers of abstinence; / your humility exalted you; / your poverty enriched you. / Hierarch Fathers Cyprian, Photius, and Jonah, / entreat Christ our God / that our souls may be saved.

Venerable Therapon, Abbot of Monza

Troparion — Tone 8

Having been enlightened with the love of Christ, O divinely-wise one, / you emulated the virtues of Basil the Blessed in all things, / and despising bodily pleasure, you dwelt in the wilderness, / there you especially labored in prayerful singing, vigil and fasting. / Therefore, Christ has enriched you with the gift of miracles. / Remember us who honor your most illustrious memory, O Venerable Father Therápon, / and pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion — Tone 8

Having devoted yourself to God from your youth, O Venerable one, / loving Him most of all, you followed Him with all your heart and love, / you disdained perishable earthly goods, you dwelt in the wilderness, / and in it you struggled well against the intrigues of invisible enemies / and, like a shining sun, shone within the boundaries of the Galich land, / from there, rejoicing, you passed to the Heavenly abodes, / and now, standing with the Angels before the throne of the Master, / remember us, who honor your memory, that we may cry out to you: “Rejoice, Therápon, our Father.”

Virgin Martyr Theodora and Martyr Didymus the Soldier, of Alexandria

Troparion — Tone 4

Your holy martyrs Theodora and Didymus, 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 Bede, the Church Historian

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

Saint Basil of Georgia, son of King Bagrat III

Troparion — Tone 8

In you the image was preserved with exactness, O Father, / for taking up your cross, you followed after Christ. / By so doing, you taught us to disregard the flesh, for it passes away, / but to care instead for the soul, since it is immortal. / Therefore, most venerable Father Basil your spirit rejoices with the Angels.

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 Basil, pray unceasingly for us all.

Venerable Michael of Parekhi

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

Troparion — Tone 8

In you the image was preserved with exactness, O Father, / for taking up your cross, you followed after Christ. / By so doing, you taught us to disregard the flesh, for it passes away, / but to care instead for the soul, since it is immortal. / Therefore, most venerable Father Michael your spirit rejoices with the Angels.

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 Michael, pray unceasingly for us all.

Venerable Matthew of Zaransk

Troparion — Tone 8

In you, O Father, was preserved with exactness what was according to the image; / for you took up the Cross and followed Christ. / By so doing, you taught us to disregard the flesh, for it passes away; / but to care for the soul, since it is immortal. / Therefore, O Venerable Matthew, your spirit rejoices with the Angels.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Finding delight in abstinence, / you subdued the desires of the flesh. / Revealed as one nurtured in the Faith, / you blossomed like the Tree of Life in Paradise, / O Venerable Father Matthew.