Troparia and kontakia for May 15

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.”

Venerable Pachomius the Great, Founder of Coenobitic Monasticism

Troparion — Tone 5

(Podoben: “Come, let us worship the Word...”)
As a pastor of the Chief Shepherd, O Father Pakhomios, / you guided flocks of monks into the heavenly sheepfold, / where you learned about the Schema and way of life which is fitting for ascetics. / Having taught this to the monks, / now you rejoice with them in the heavenly abodes.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Since you lived the life of the Angels while in the body, / you were also deemed worthy of their glory, O God-bearer Pakhomios. / Now you stand with them before the throne of God, / interceding that divine forgiveness may be granted to all.

Saint Isaiah the Wonderworker, Bishop of Rostov

Troparion — Tone 8

Instructor of Orthodoxy, teacher of godliness and purity, / blessed luminary of Rostov, divinely-inspired adornment of Hierarchs, most wise Isaiah: / you enlightened all of Russia with spiritual grace through your teaching. / O blessed Hierarch, entreat Christ God to save our souls.

Kontakion — Tone 3

You resounded like thunder, with your divine teaching in the Russian land, / and you were revealed as a most radiant lamp, / shining with the light of divine reason, O blessed Isaiah: / Therefore we cry out to you: “Pray unceasingly to Christ God for us all.”

The Holy Right-believing Tsarevich Demetrios of Uglich and Moscow

Troparion — Tone 4

You reddened the royal diadem with your blood, O divinely-wise Martyr; / for instead of a scepter, you received a cross in your hand. / You were revealed as victorious, / and offered yourself as an unblemished sacrifice to the Master; / for you were slaughtered as a submissive lamb by a servant, / but now you stand rejoicing before the Holy Trinity. / Pray that all who revere your holy memory may be saved.

Kontakion — Tone 8

Today, on the glorious day of your remembrance, joy shines forth for the faithful, / for you sprouted forth as a good branch of the vine1 and offered yourself as comely fruit to Christ. / Therefore, after you were murdered, He preserved your blood-stained body incorrupt. / O noble Saint Demetrios, keep all Orthodox Christians unharmed, for you are their confirmation.


1 John 15:5

Venerable Isaiah, Wonderworker 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 Isaiah, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!

Venerable Pachomius, Abbot of Nerekhta

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

Venerable Silvanus of Nerekhta

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

Venerable Euphrosynos, Igoumen of Pskov

Troparion — Tone 4

Boldly rejecting earthly cares and all the vanity of this world for the sake of Christ's love, O blessed one, / and fulfilling all that the crucified Lord Jesus Christ commanded, / and, taking up His yoke, you obeyed His will in all things, / and, by working piously, you diligently fulfilled the commandments of Christ during your lifetime. / Therefore, God has glorified you, and after death, you work miracles from your revered tomb. / Therefore, your monastery became a rich, inexhaustible refuge and shelter for the poor. / O Venerable Father Euphrósynos, entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 4

Desiring divine knowledge, you dwelt in the wilderness / and there, directing your mind to the heavenly abodes and living an earthly life like that of an Angel, / by your prayers, labors and fasting, you were an example for your disciples. / Therefore, seeing your good will, God increased the number of your children in the deserts, quenched by the rain of your tears, / but since you have boldness before God, / remember your flock, which you have gathered, O wise one, / and do not forget your promise to visit your children, O Euphrósynos, our Venerable Father.

Kontakion — Tone 8

You were enlightened with light from God, O Father, / having found the life of fasting, O Venerable One, / you were a wonderful example to the monks and the splendid adornment of fasters. / Therefore, the Lord, seeing your labors, enriched you with the gift of miracles, for you exude healing. / Rejoicing, we cry out to you: “Rejoice, O Father Euphrósynos, the adornment of monks.”

Venerable Serapion 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 Serapion, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!

Saint Achilles, Bishop of Larissa

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