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!
Virgin Martyrs Agape, Irene and Chionia, in Illyria
Troparion — Tone 1
Sisters in the flesh united in the Spirit, / you wrestled with the prince of evil and endured your martyrdom. / Holy and blest Agape, Irene, and Chionia, / pray to Christ our God to save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4
Completing the course of your life in martyrdom / and having kept the faith, / as lambs endowed with reason / you were led before Christ the Lamb and Shepherd. / Therefore rejoicing now in spirit, / we celebrate your wondrous and holy memory, / magnifying Christ.
Kontakion — Tone 3
Bright mirrors of virginity, / radiant with your martyrdom, / you fill the Church with light and dispel the darkness of evil, / Agape, Irene, and Chionia, Christ’s precious jewels.
Kontakion — Tone 4
Becoming beautiful brides of Christ, / you offered to Him a gift of blood and sacrifice, / O passion-bearing maidens, / Irene, Agape and glorious Chionia, / rightly entering the bridal chamber, / ever filled with ineffable enlightenment. / Therefore celebrating in spirit / your precious and holy memory, / we give glory to the Savior / And cry out in piety: / Pray to the Lord for us.
Martyrs Leonidas, Chariessa, Nice, Galina, Kalista, Nunechia, Basilissa, Theodora, and Irene, of Corinth
Troparion — Tone 4
Your holy martyrs 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!
Monastic Martyr Christopher of Dionysiou, Mount Athos
Troparion — Tone 1
The image of God was truly preserved in you, O Father, / 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 instead for the soul, since it is immortal. / Therefore your spirit, venerable Christopher, rejoices with the angels.
Kontakion — Tone 2
As a venerable and proven ascetic, as an honorable and renowned martyr, / and as a model of the desert life, O most exalted Christopher, / we sing hymns of praise to you, / for you have trampled upon serpents.
Hieromartyr Nikḗtas
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 Niketas, entreat Christ God to save our souls.
Weeping “Ilyin Chernigov” Icon of the Mother of God
Troparion — Tone 4
Let us sinners and wretched people now run most earnestly to the Theotokos, / and let us fall down in repentance, crying out from the depths of our souls: / “O Sovereign Lady, have compassion on us, / help us, and come quickly, for we are perishing from a multitude of transgressions. / Do not turn your servants away empty-handed, for we have you as our only hope.”
Kontakion — Tone 6
We have no other help, we have no other hope, but you, O Sovereign Lady. / Help us, for in you do we hope, / and of you do we boast, for we are your servants. Let us not be put to shame.
Kontakion — Tone 6
Steadfast protectress of Christians, / most constant advocate before the Creator, / do not despise the voices of us who have sinned, / but in your goodness come speedily to help us, who cry to you in faith: / “Hasten to intercede for us, O Theotokos, / and speedily make supplication, for you always protect those who honor you.”
Tambov (Utkino) Icon of the Mother of God
Troparion — Tone 4
Today the city of Tambov exalts radiantly, and Christ’s Hierarch Pitirim rejoices; / for now, O Sovereign Lady, your icon shines forth with the miracles of your Icon, / which the Hierarch brought from the capital city of Moscow, / revealing your wondrous intercession to the people, and healing everyone who turns to you with faith. / Therefore, we humbly cry out to you: “Save us through your Icon, O All-hymned Virgin.”
Kontakion — Tone 3
Now God’s Angels and all the Saints in Heaven rejoice, / beholding your glory, O Most Pure Virgin, / and before your Icon, the faithful offer you prayers of thanksgiving / for the mercy and compassion you have shown to all of us, especially to our city. / As you did of old, O Virgin Theotokos, / save us in days to come by your intercession.