Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 29th Day of the Month of January

Commemoration of the Translation of the Relics of the Holy Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-bearer

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera, in Tone IV, Special Melody: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”

As the last successor of the Theologian thou didst follow in his steps, hastening from the East and appearing in the West, illumining all with the lightning flashes of divine preaching; and, departing thither from the world, O most wise one, thou didst shine forth unto God, crowned with the splendor of grace. Twice

In sacred manner were thy relics given unto thy city, O most wise God-bearer, and they were all the more splendidly hallowed by thy suffering, illumining with grace in their return unto us, becoming the occasion of our solemnities, filling with divinely inspired gladness and delighting with sweet fragrance those who honor thee with piety. Twice

Before, thou didst shine forth from the East upon the lands of the West, more brightly than the morning-star; and now, in the return of thy divine relics, thou hast spread forth beams of light upon the earth out of the evening sky, and dost entreat Christ to deliver from corruption and misfortunes those who with faith celebrate thy most honored memory. Twice

Glory…, the composition of Anatolius, in Tone VIII

O God-bearing Ignatius, soaring aloft to Christ Whom thou didst desire, thou hast received the reward of the sacred ministry of the Gospel of Christ, which thou didst complete in the shedding of thy blood. Wherefore, as the wheat of the immortal Husbandman, thou wast ground by the teeth of the wild beasts and hast been shown to be sweet bread for Him. Pray for us, O blessed athlete.

Now and ever…: Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion, Special Melody: “O all-glorious wonder…”

“What is this sight which I see, which mine eyes behold, O Master? Thou Who sustainest all creation dost die, lifted up upon the Tree, granting life unto all!” the Theotokos said, weeping, when she beheld the God and man Who had shone forth from her ineffably suspended upon the Cross.

Aposticha stichera from the Octoechos; and Glory…, the composition of the Studite, in Tone I

O thy steadfast and adamantine soul, O right blessed Ignatius! For, with unwavering desire for Him Who loveth thee, thou didst say: “There is not within me the fire of the love of material things; rather there is in me living water which speaketh in me, saying within me: Come to the Father!” Wherefore, afire with the divine Spirit, thou didst permit the wild beasts to separate thee quickly from the world and send thee to Christ Whom thou didst desire. Him do thou entreat, that He save our souls.

Now and ever…: Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion, Special Melody: “O most lauded martyrs…”

Standing at the foot of the Cross of thy Son and God, and looking upon His long-suffering, O pure Mother, weeping, thou didst say: “Woe is me, O my Child most sweet! How is it that Thou sufferest these things unjustly, O Word of God, that Thou mayest save mankind?”

Troparion, in Tone IV

As thou didst share in the ways of the apostles and didst occupy their throne, thou didst find thine activity to be a passage to divine vision, O divinely inspired one. Wherefore, ordering the word of truth, thou didst suffer for the Faith even to the shedding of thy blood, O hieromartyr Ignatius. Entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.

At Matins

Both canons from the Octoechos, without the martyria; and that of the saint, with 6 Troparia, the acrostic whereof is: “In songs do I hymn Ignatius, the star of the East”, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone IV

Ode I

Irmos: Having traversed the depths of the Red Sea with dryshod feet, Israel of old vanquished the might of Amalek in the wilderness by Moses’ arms stretched out in the form of the Cross.

Guiding my life to virtue, O God-bearer Ignatius, illumine me with the light of the grace which shineth in thee, and by thy supplications set at naught the tumult of the passions.

Thou wast like most fertile soil, increasing its seed a hundredfold at the harvest, O God-bearer Ignatius, for Christ Who watereth souls with the rain of the Spirit.

The Master and God of all, perceiving with the power of His foreknowledge the nobility of thy soul, O God-bearer Ignatius, illumined thee with the divinely splendid radiance of grace.

Illumined by the rays of the noetic Sun, O most wise one, thou didst hasten in splendor from the East like the material sun, casting light upon the darkness of the West by thy preaching.

Theotokion: O most pure Bride of God, thou gavest birth to One of the all-divine Trinity Who through thee revealed Himself as like us in the flesh, as the Father willed and with the coöperation of the most Holy Spirit.

Ode III

Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation!

Heal thou my mind which hath been afflicted with grievous carnal passions, O ever-memorable Ignatius, martyr of Christ.

Knowing well that thou wast of one mind with the apostles, Christ appointed thee as a teacher shining with divine light upon all the Churches.

Having beheld the Bestower of life slain for thy sake, O Ignatius, with love thou didst hasten to endure death for His sake.

Theotokion: Cleansed by the Spirit beforehand, O pure one, thou gavest birth to the Word of the Father, for the benefit of rational nature.

Sessional hymn, in Tone III, Special Melody: “Of the divine Faith…”

Illumined by the divine Spirit, with pastoral boldness and great wisdom thou didst put to shame the savagery of the tyrants; and, drawing thyself across the chasm of falsehood, O venerable father, thou didst reach the divine haven. Entreat Christ God, that He grant us great mercy. Twice

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

Without separating Himself from the divine Essence when He took flesh in thy womb, the one Lord remained God though He became man; and even after thy birthgiving He preserved thee, His Virgin Mother, as immaculate as thou wast before giving birth. Him do thou earnestly beseech, that He grant us great mercy.

Stavrotheotokion

The unblemished Ewe-lamb of the Word, the incorrupt Virgin Mother, beholding Him Who sprang forth from her without pain suspended upon the Cross, cried out, lamenting maternally: “Woe is me, O my Child! How is it that Thou dost suffer willingly, desiring to deliver man from the indignity of the passions?”

Ode IV

Irmos: Beholding Thee lifted up upon the Cross, O Sun of righteousness, the Church stood rooted in place, crying out as is meet: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Fittingly called God-bearer, in that thou didst clothe thyself with life in Christ, thou dost radiantly anoint all to receive crowns through desire, O confirmation of martyrs.

Thou wast animated by the power of Him Who for thy sake was nailed to the Cross, O God-bearer Ignatius; for thou didst permit the wild beasts to separate thee from the world, enabling thee to go to Him Whom thou didst desire with love.

Desiring the beauties of the Master, and loving Him with unwavering devotion, O God-bearing martyr Ignatius, thou didst diligently emulate His sufferings.

Adorned with the purple robe of thy blood and the oil of thy priestly anointing, O holy hierarch, initiate of the mysteries of God, thou shinest forth with joy, crying unto Christ: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Theotokion: He Who by His divine power created all things out of nothing, O Mother of God, was born of thee, illumining the world with the radiant beams of divinity and the splendor of divine knowledge.

Ode V

Irmos: Thou hast come, O my Lord, as a light into the world: a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance those who hymn Thee with faith.

Beholding Christ now face to face, no longer as though reflected in a mirror, O Ignatius, thou hast truly united thyself to Him Who loveth thee.

Thou hast truly drawn forth enlightenment from the wellspring of the Bestower of light, O Ignatius; for Christ, holding thee in His all-pure hands, did hallow thee.

Acquiring a mind illumined by the Spirit of God, O Ignatius, thou sendest forth the divinely inscribed laws of grace like tablets.

Theotokion: From on high the angel joyously let his cry ring forth unto thee, O Theotokos, announcing to thee the ineffable conception of the Master.

Ode VI

Irmos: I will sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, O Lord, the Church crieth unto Thee, cleansed of the blood of demons by the blood which, for mercy’s sake, flowed from Thy side.

Possessed of the hypostatic Wisdom of God, thou didst set at naught the dogmas of the wisdom of the Greeks, O initiate of sacred mysteries, and with a great noise thou didst consign to oblivion all memory of their falsehood.

Cease thou never to pray for those who celebrate thy memory, O most blessed one, that they be delivered from most grievous temptations and misfortunes, in that thou art a right acceptable priest.

Excelling in courage and wisdom, O venerable and God-bearing martyr, thou wast shown to be adorned with the beauty of righteousness and chastity and surrounded by the virtues.

Theotokion: Finding thee alone like an all-pure rose, a lily of the valley, in the midst of thorns, O Mother of God, the Bridegroom and Word issued forth from thy womb.

Kontakion, in Tone IV, Special Melody: “Thou hast appeared today…”

Thou didst shine forth from the East today, illumining all creation with thy doctrines, O God-bearing and divine Ignatius, and art adorned with martyrdom.

Ikos: Sanctifying Jeremiah from his mother’s womb and, as the Omniscient One, knowing beforehand when he would be born and that he would be a habitation of His Holy Spirit, God straightway filled him with life from his youth and sent him, as His prophet and herald, to proclaim His holy coming to all on earth. And when God Himself was born of the Virgin and went forth to preach, He found the God-bearing and divine Ignatius to be a disciple worthy of His grace from infancy.

Ode VII

Irmos: The children of Abraham in the Persian furnace, afire with love of piety more than with the flame, cried out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Adorned with the divine myrrh of the priesthood, O venerable one, and with the blood of thy martyrdom, in both thou didst shine forth, crying: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Having enlightened the whole world with thy laws, with the Bread of heaven thou didst feed the faithful who cry out to thy Master: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Illumined with radiant beams and shining with the splendor of the effulgence of the Origin of light, thou didst receive heavenly delight, rejoicing, O God-bearer, thou boast of martyrs.

As thou didst say, O ever all-memorable martyr, thou wast ground as the grain of God by the teeth of wild beasts, and becamest a most pure bread for Him Who nurtureth all things in His divine goodness.

Theotokion: Rejoice, O sanctified and divine habitation of the Most High; for through thee, O Theotokos, hath joy been given to those who cry: Blessed art thou among women, O most immaculate Mistress!

Ode VIII

Irmos: Stretching forth his hands, Daniel shut the lions’ mouths in the pit; and the young lovers of piety, girded about with virtue, quenched the power of the fire, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Standing before the tribunal, O wise and holy one, with purity of mind thou didst theologize concerning the uncreated Trinity; and, undaunted before the thrones of the savage tyrants, with noetic splendor thou didst cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Rationally governing thy mind with divine dogmas, O blessed Ignatius, with torrents of wisdom thou didst utterly drown the wicked demon-tyrant, the prince of deception, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Shining with the boundless light of the Godhead, O invincible martyr, thou didst dispel the unstable darkness of ungodliness, sending forth radiant epistles to those who chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Thou didst not fear the savagery and rapacity of the wild beasts, O godly Ignatius; for the power of the Most High Who shone forth from the Virgin arrayed thee in the armor of the Cross as thou didst chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Theotokion: Thou, alone among all generations, O all-pure Virgin, wast shown to be the Mother of God; and thou wast a dwelling-place of the Godhead, O most immaculate one, unburnt by the fire of the unapproachable Light. Wherefore, we all call thee blessed, O Mary Bride of God.

Ode IX

Irmos: Christ, the Chief Cornerstone uncut by human hands, Who united the two disparate natures, was cut from thee, the unquarried mountain, O Virgin. Wherefore, in gladness we magnify thee, O Theotokos.

Most divine love, holding thy soul fast, O blessed one, burned up all the material griefs of the world with immaterial fire, and presented thee as crowned to the Summit of all desires.

Thou didst hasten to the most calm and radiant haven, O God-bearer, escaping the raging of both savage and rational beasts as though they were a tempest of threefold waves; and now thou art transported in ecstasy, receiving everlasting delight.

Adorned with an ornate crown, O initiate of the sacred mysteries, thou dost excel; for in thee the glory of the priesthood and martyrdom are conjoined, and as one who shareth in both thou hast been glorified by thy Master.

As one of manifest sanctity, possessing boldness before thy Master and God, O Ignatius, pray thou, that those who with faith celebrate thy memory be delivered now from temptations.

Theotokion: Quench thou the flame of my passions with the shining dew of thy prayer, O most pure one, in that thou didst receive the divine Fire in thy womb without being consumed; for thee do I have as the hope of my salvation, O Bride of God.

Exapostilarion, Special Melody: “O Light immutable…”

The Church of Christ doth possess thy splendid festival as a treasure which cannot be taken away, having received thy divine relics, from whence myrrh floweth forth upon all, O God-bearer Ignatius.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

The Light which shone forth timelessly from the Father before eternity hath now, in latter times, issued forth from thee, O Virgin, for the salvation of the world. Cease thou never to beseech Him in behalf of thy people.

Aposticha stichera of the Octoechos; and Glory…, the composition of the Studite, in Tone I

Thine annual festival, O God-bearer Ignatius, hath arisen like an animate pillar and an inspired cloud, proclaiming thy mysteries and the mighty deeds which thou didst show forth when upholding the Faith even to the shedding of thy blood. Yea, blessed and ever-memorable was thy voice when thou didst say: “As the grain of God I am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts.” Wherefore, as thou wast an emulator of the suffering of thy Christ, pray thou, that our souls be saved.

Now and ever…: Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion, Special Melody: “O most lauded martyrs…”

Beholding Thine unjust slaying, O Christ, the Virgin cried out to Thee, weeping: “O my Child most sweet! How is it that Thou diest unjustly? How is it that Thou hangest upon the Tree Who hast suspended the whole earth upon the waters? Leave me not alone who am Thy Mother and handmaiden, I pray, O greatly merciful Benefactor!”

At Divine Liturgy

On the Beatitudes, 8 Troparia: 4 from the Octoechos; and 4 from Ode III of the saint’s canon.

Prokimenon, in Tone VII

The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord, and shall hope in Him.

Stichos: Hearken, O God, unto my prayer, when I make supplication unto Thee.

Epistle to the Hebrews, §311 [4: 14-5: 6]

Brethren: As we have a great High Priest Who is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on those who are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but He that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made a high priest, but He that said unto Him: Thou art My Son; today have I begotten Thee. As He saith also in another place: Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Alleluia, in Tone IV

Stichos: The righteous man shall flourish like a palm-tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be multiplied.

Stichos: Those who are planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our God they shall blossom forth.

Gospel according to Mark, §41 [9: 33-41]

At that time, Jesus and His disciples came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but Him Who sent me. And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

Communion Verse

In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings.