Troparia and kontakia for October 24

Martyr Arethas and 4,299 Martyrs with him

Troparion — Tone 1

Through the sufferings which Your holy martyrs Arethas and his companions / endured for Your sake, O Lord, / we beseech You, O Lover of mankind: / heal all of our infirmities.

Kontakion — Tone 4

Today the radiant feast of the passion-bearers Arethas and his companions / comes to us as a herald of joy; / as we celebrate it we glorify the Lord on high.

Venerable Arethus the Recluse of the Kiev Near 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 Arethus, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!

Venerable Sisoes the Recluse of the Kiev Near 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 Sisoes, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!

Venerable Theophilus the Recluse of the Kiev Near 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 Theophilus, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!

Blessed Elesbaan, King of Ethiopia

Troparion — Tone 4

The love of God led you to avenge the spilled blood of the righteous, / just as David did for Samuel, / and you received a prophecy from the renowned Zenon, / who foretold what was to occur; / with his blessing, and by the vow that you made, / you won a victory over your enemies, / after which, you abdicated your throne and went to a monastery, / where you spent your life in fasting. / O Blessed Elesbaan, entreat Christ the Heavenly King for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion — Tone 4

Rejecting the loftiness of an earthly kingdom, / and the glory of a crown and a mantle out of love for Christ the King, / He crowned you with glory in the Heavens, O wise Emperor Elesbaan. / You exchanged a corruptible and temporal kingdom for the Eternal Kingdom. / Therefore, we glorify you with hymns as a great intercessor for peace.

Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters

Troparion — Tone 3

Your holy martyrs Syncletica and her daughters, 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!

Saint Athanasius, Patriarch of Constantinople

Troparion — Tone 1

With the light of your pure life, you burned the thorns of the passions, / and with streams of tears, you watered the barren land, / making it a spiritual field bearing much fruit, O most blessed Athanasios, / luminary of Constantinople and adornment of Patriarchs, / pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

“Joy of All Who Sorrow” Icon of the Mother of God

Troparion — Tone 4

Today the glorious city of Moscow rejoices, having the wonderworking Icon of our Sovereign Lady Theotokos, / for she, showing forth miracles to the faithful, sends down gifts of healing. / Therefore, we bow down with faith and, beholding her most pure image, / it is as if we see our Sovereign Lady herself alive, our Virgin Theotokos, and tenderly we cry out: / "O Mother of God, look down with your merciful eyes, / stretch forth your most pure hands to us as depicted on your Icon, / and grant joy to all who sorrow, to the sick, / who are healed of all diseases and are delivered from troubles, / for you are the speedy Intercessor for our souls."

Kontakion — Tone 6

We have no other help, we have no other hope, but you, O Lady. / Help us, for in you we hope, / and of you we boast, for we are your servants. / Let us not be put to shame.

Saint John, Hermit of Pskov

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