Troparia and kontakia for April 25

Great and Holy Wednesday

Troparion — Tone 8

Behold the Bridegroom comes at midnight, / and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching, / and again unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless. / Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep, / lest you be given up to death and lest you be shut out of the Kingdom. / But rouse yourself crying: Holy, Holy, Holy, are You, O our God! / Through the Theotokos have mercy on us!

Kontakion — Tone 4

Though I have transgressed more than the harlot, O Good One, / I have not offered You a flood of tears, but in silence I fall down before You. / With love I embrace Your most Pure feet. / As Master, grant me remission of sins, when I cry to You, O Savior: / “Deliver me from the filth of my evil deeds.”

Saint Basil of Poiana Marului

Troparion — Tone 8

O Teacher of the true worship of God, guide of monks, preacher of grace, / instructor of noetic prayer as one who labored with vigilance, / O Venerable Father Basil, always entreat Christ God that our souls.may be saved.

Kontakion — Tone 8

(Podoben: “O Victorious Leader...”)
Let us honor the wondrous guide of monks, a most experienced teacher of prayer, / a heavenly man and earthly angel, a most renowned spiritual counselor, / and let us sing joyously to him: “Rejoice, Holy Father Basil, preacher of grace.”

Apostle and Evangelist Mark

Troparion — Tone 4

From your childhood the light of truth enlightened you, O Mark, / and you loved the labor of Christ the Savior. / Therefore, you followed Peter with zeal / and served Paul well as a fellow laborer, / and you enlighten the world with your holy Gospel.

Kontakion — Tone 2

When you received the grace of the Spirit from on high, O Apostle, / you broke the snares of the philosophers and gathered all nations into your net, / bringing them to your Lord, O glorious Mark, / by the preaching of the divine Gospel.

Venerable Sylvester, Abbot of Obnora

Troparion — Tone 4

As a good disciple of the blessed Sergius, you emulated his faith and godliness, / receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit and, for the Lord's sake, / you made great efforts for the salvation and consolation of the faithful. / Do not forsake us who come to you with faith, / O Venerable Father Sylvester.

Kontakion — Tone 6

By your struggles you have contested,1 and you brought your soul as a pure and unblemished sacrifice to God,2 / after your repose you are diligent for us before God in prayer; / therefore, turning to you with faith, we cry out: / “Rejoice, O Venerable Father Sylvester.”


1 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course.”
2 Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I beseech you, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your reasonable worship.”