Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 3rd Day of the Month of March

Commemoration of the Holy Martyrs Eutropius, Cleonicus & Basiliscus

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone I, Special Melody: “O all-praised martyrs…”

O martyrs three in number, who contended mightily against those that cruelly condemned you, and who with faith endured all manner of pangs most cruel: ye have received the kingdom on high. Wherefore, pray ye, that God grant unto our souls peace and great mercy.

With spiritual songs let us praise Eutropius, the steadfast Cleonicus and Basiliscus; for, by the grace of piety, they utterly consumed the tinder of ungodliness with fire. And they now illumine the ends of the earth with the divine radiance of fire, like beacons most bright, having cast all deception into darkness.

When your heads were severed, ye crushed the head of the enemy under your beautiful feet, O valiant athletes, ye unwavering stars, animate sacrifices, treasures of the temple of heaven. O glorious Eutropius, Basiliscus and Cleonicus, beg peace for us all.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

Rejoice, O pure one, thou strange report! Rejoice, holy tree of paradise, divinely planted! Rejoice, destruction of the evil demons! Rejoice, two-edged sword, who cut off the head of the enemy by thy strange birthgiving! O most holy and all-immaculate one, call us back who have gone astray.

Stavrotheotokion

The unblemished ewe-lamb and Mistress, beholding her Lamb upon the Cross, bereft of form and beauty, said, lamenting: “Woe is me! Whither hath Thy beauty set, O Thou Who art most sweet? Where is Thy comeliness? Where is the radiant grace of Thine image, O my Son most beloved?”

At Matins

Canon, the acrostic whereof is: “I honor the sufferings of the three most magnificent martyrs”, the composition of Joseph, in Tone I

Ode I

Irmos: Thy victorious right arm hath in godly manner been glorified in strength; for as almighty, O Immortal One, it smote the adversary, fashioning anew the path of the deep for the Israelites.

Illumined with the supernal splendors of the effulgence of the threefold Sun, O most lauded martyrs, enlighten those who now piously bless you on the radiant day of your martyrdom.

O all-wise ones, with your words ye wounded the hearts of the all-iniquitous as with arrows; wherefore, ye patiently endured wounds and stripes, confessing the holy name of God.

Having with sacred discourse preached before the tyrant’s tribunal Him Whose good pleasure it was to suffer for our sake, O ever-memorable martyrs, ye steadfastly endured the tortures to which ye were subjected.

Theotokion: Thou wast shown to be more spacious than the heavens, having given flesh to Him Who is in nowise circumscribed. Him do thou therefore entreat, that He deliver us all from imprisonment and from everlasting torment, O Virgin Mother.

Ode III

Irmos: O Thou Who alone hast known the weakness of human nature, having in Thy mercy formed Thyself therein: Thou dost gird me about with power from on high, that I may chant to Thee: Holy is the living temple of Thine ineffable glory, O Thou Who lovest mankind!

Gazing upon divine things with the pure perceptions of your minds, O blessed athletes, with manly demeanor ye made haste to the torments, vanquishing the incorporeal foe with your bodies; wherefore, ye are glorified.

Having endured for Christ the severing of your members, O wise ones, ye sanctified the earth in holy manner with the divine outpourings of your blood, and stanched the blood offered to the demons on idolatrous altars, O martyrs.

Ye were truly set like luminous stars in the heavens of suffering, shedding your light upon the whole world with never-waning effulgence, and dispelling the darkness of deception, O holy ones; wherefore, with faith we call you blessed.

Theotokion: In thy womb thou didst receive Christ, Who emptied the womb of hades by His all-accomplishing counsel. Him do thou entreat, O divinely joyous one, that He deliver from the bondage of sin all who with faith ever call thee blessed.

Sessional hymn, in Tone I, Special Melody: “Thy tomb, O Savior…”

Before many people the trinity of martyrs confessed the worshipful Trinity; and, having suffered, they have been numbered among the choirs of the incorporeal ones. Let us praise them today with faith, celebrating their sacred memory, which saveth the world.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

O all-holy Virgin, thou hope of Christians: with the hosts on high do thou unceasingly entreat God, to Whom thou gavest birth in manner past understanding and recounting, that He grant remission of all sins and amendment of life unto those who ever glorify thee with faith and love.

Stavrotheotokion

The unblemished Ewe-lamb, beholding the Lamb and Shepherd hanging dead upon the Tree, said, weeping and bitterly exclaiming: “How can I bear Thine ineffable condescension, O my Son, and Thy voluntary suffering, O all-good God?”

Ode IV

Irmos: Habbakuk, gazing with the eyes of foresight upon thee, the mountain overshadowed by the grace of God, prophesied that the Holy One of Israel would come forth from thee, for our salvation and restoration.

Preaching the one three-Sunned God, the three martyrs stood in the arena, mightily enduring wounds of burning; and they were shown to be fiery pillars of the Church, guiding those who are pious in Christ.

Having set your feet upon the rock of faith, ye were not shaken by the wiles of many temptations, but showed yourselves to be unshaken, in every way hindering and thwarting the impious by grace.

Hurled like costly stones upon the earth, ye truly demolished the house of wickedness, O all-wise ones; and ye have made yourselves temples of God and have been borne away to the temple of heaven.

Theotokion: Thy God-bearing womb was shown to be a palace wherein Christ, the King of all, did rest, O pure Mother, making of the pious splendid habitations of His unapproachable divinity.

Ode V

Irmos: O Christ Who hast enlightened the ends of the world with the radiance of Thy coming and hast illumined them with Thy Cross: with the light of Thy divine knowledge enlighten the hearts of those who hymn Thee in Orthodox manner.

Observing the law of God, O right victorious martyrs, ye opposed the iniquitous with courage; and, wounded and lacerated in body, ye have won the trophy of everlasting victory.

Let us praise Basiliscus, and with faith let us honor Cleonicus and Eutropius, the exceedingly wise ones who suffered for their faith in the all-holy Trinity and have shone forth more brightly than the sun.

Working wonders for the glory of our God, ye drew to faith in the Savior those who looked on, O much-suffering ones, beauteous flowers of paradise, foundations of the Church.

Theotokion: With the radiance of Him Who shone forth from thee in manner past understanding, O most immaculate one, illumine our thoughts and cause the darkness of soul-destroying thoughts to fade away, that we may hymn thee, O Mistress.

Ode VI

Irmos: The uttermost abyss hath surrounded us, and there is none to deliver us. We are accounted as lambs for the slaughter. Save Thy people, O our God, for Thou art the strength and correction of the weak!

Heaven and earth rejoice; and men join chorus, celebrating the yearly festival of those who, with steadfast mind, valiantly endured blessed sufferings for Christ.

With thy goodly virtues thou didst honor the all-good God, O Eutropius, and didst overcome the wiles of the enemy. Wherefore, all men honor thee, hoping to receive through thee remission of transgressions.

Pouring forth streams of healings, ye have driven away the burning heat of sickness and sorrow, O wise ones, sending forth good health upon all who ever piously have recourse to your protection.

Theotokion: O most immaculate one, who in the blossoming forth of the Fruit of thy womb didst cause the malice of the enemy, which sprouted forth of old through transgression, to wither away: uproot the soul-corrupting and thorny thoughts which blossom in my soul.

Ode VII

Irmos: O Theotokos, we, the faithful, perceive thee to be a noetic furnace; for, as the supremely Exalted One saved the three youths, in thy womb the praised and most glorious God of our fathers wholly renewed the world.

Reckoning the severing of their members, buffetings, convulsions and violent death as divine delight, the martyrs rejoiced, chanting zealously unto God: Praised and all-glorious is the God of our fathers!

After many tortures of the body, ye endured the cross mightily, in emulation of the Deliverer, O glorious Eutropius and great Cleonicus; and ye received a blessed end, hymning our praised and all-glorious God.

Christ appeared to you in prison, commanding you to set your sight on immortal rewards; and beholding Him, ye were filled with boldness, crying out, O glorious martyrs: Praised and all-glorious is the God of our fathers!

Theotokion: O all-holy Mistress, from the invasion of the heathen, from the encounter of evil, and from everlasting damnation deliver us who cry out with faith: Praised and all-glorious is the God of our fathers!

Ode VIII

Irmos: The children of Israel in the furnace, shining more brightly than gold in a crucible in the beauty of their piety, said: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord; hymn and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Possessed of minds straining toward the one Master, O most lauded ones, ye were stretched out, wounded and tortured exceedingly, chanting: All ye works of the Lord, hymn and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Lifted up on crosses, as the Master was of old, O athletes, ye were counted worthy to receive great glory, chanting and saying: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, hymn and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Strengthened by the power of God, O athletes, ye mightily vanquished hordes of the iniquitous, chanting and saying: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, hymn and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Triadicon: I hymn Thee, the most Holy Godhead, as a Unity in essence, distinguishing three Hypostases without division; and, rejoicing, I cry: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, hymn and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Theotokion: Thou wast shown to be the temple of Emmanuel and the portal through which He entered and issued forth, in a way He Himself knoweth, O pure one, saving those who cry: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, hymn and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Ode IX

Irmos: The bush which burnt with fire yet was not consumed showed forth an image of thy pure birthgiving. And now we pray that the furnace of temptations which rageth against us may be extinguished, that we may magnify thee unceasingly, O Theotokos.

That ye might obtain a portion with Christ, ye reckoned all the things of this present life to be but dung, as the divine Paul hath taught; wherefore, having suffered well, ye have your abode in the heavens, O crowned ones of great renown.

The divine company of sacred martyrs was shown to be like unto a three-sided tower; and by grace they cast down the ramparts of wicked ungodliness. And now they dwell in the city of the living God, in the tabernacles of the first born.

Having received from Christ a crown of incorruption and dyed your robes red in the blood of your martyrdom, ye stand before the King of the ages, radiant with luminous splendors and gifts most rich.

Having already drawn nigh unto God, and celebrating with the assemblies of the incorporeal, O martyrs, ask that those who ever bless you on earth and celebrate your memory may receive the radiance of heaven.

Theotokion: The ranks of the angels stand in awe of the One Who shone forth from thy womb; Him do thou entreat in our behalf, O Virgin Mother, that He deliver from dread torment and the outermost darkness all who hymn thee.