Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 14th Day of the Month of May

Commemoration of the Holy Martyr Isidore of the Island of Chios

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone IV, Special Melody: “Thou hast given a sign…”

Lacerated with wounds, thou didst strip away the skin garments of mortality, and arrayed in the vesture and splendid purple robe of incorruption, thou didst quickly approach the Tree of life, truly receiving life indestructible and endless, O glorious one. And, as thou now delightest therein, preserve those who hymn thee.

Burning with the zeal of piety, O martyr Isidore, thou didst enter into the tribunal, ardently accepting suffering, and didst receive the crown of victory; and, adorned with divine teachings against falsehood, and fortified by the armor of the Cross, thou didst cast down the lying tyrant, showing thyself to be a crown-bearer.

Truly the sufferings of the martyrs have transcended all manner of laudation, discourse and thought; for, steadfast pillars of piety, though clad like us in mortal and passion-plagued bodies, the glorious ones braved the fire and triumphed over wounds, as though suffering in someone else’s bodies.

Glory…, Now and ever…, from the Pentecostarion.

Troparion, in Tone IV

In his suffering, O Lord, Thy martyr Isidore received an imperishable crown from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, he set at nought the tormenters and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. By his supplications save Thou our souls.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Troparion from the Pentecostarion.

At Matins

Canon of the martyr, in Tone VIII

Ode I

Irmos: Having traversed the water as though it were dry land, and escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!

By thy supplications, O blessed Isidore, martyr of Christ, grant me enlightenment and grace from heaven, that I may praise thine honored festival.

Possessed of a perfect heart and soul, and having acquired a blameless life, O martyr Isidore, thou didst struggle well with the martyrs for God.

Having ordered thy life according to the law, O martyr Isidore, thou didst keep the Faith of salvation unadulterated, like a treasure which cannot be stolen away, O most blessed one.

Theotokion: Having truly given birth to Him Who is God by nature, thou, the pure Theotokos, dost truly hear the angel’s call, bearing Him in both natures in thy divine birthgiving.

Ode III

Irmos: Thou art the confirmation of those who have recourse to Thee, O Lord; Thou art the light of the benighted; and my spirit doth hymn Thee.

Guided by the Word, O glorious martyr and athlete of Christ, thou didst cause the uprisings of the passions to wither away through the virtues of fasting.

Possessed of unashamed yearning of soul, O glorious one, thou didst most piously preserve thy confession without compromise.

By thine entreaties, O athlete, render thou the Judge of all merciful unto those who piously praise thy festival.

Theotokion: Mortify the wisdom of our flesh, O Virgin Mistress, and enliven the souls of those who hymn thee with faith.

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

In thy supplications unto God thou wast shown to be an all-great helmsman for the whole world, O holy one; wherefore, we hymn thee today, O divinely wise and all-glorious martyr Isidore.

Sessional hymn of the martyr, in Tone III, Special Melody: “Awed by the beauty of thy virginity…”

Struggling against the serpent, thou didst win the victory, O martyr Isidore; and as a beacon from Egypt, illumining the whole world, thou hast shone forth, showing the way to Him Who shone forth from the divine Virgin Maiden. For His sake wast thou slain, O athlete, becoming a sacrifice of sweet savor.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Sessional hymn from the Pentecostarion.

Ode IV

Irmos: Thou art my strength, O Lord, Thou art my power; Thou art my God, Thou art my joy, Who, without leaving the bosom of the Father, hast visited our lowliness. Wherefore, with the Prophet Habbakuk I cry unto Thee: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind!

Having the Word dwelling wholly within thee, as an invincible warrior thou didst put to shame the pride of the tyrant, and having won victory for His sake, O blessed one, thou hast received from God an imperishable crown, O most glorious martyr Isidore.

Like a youth thou didst put thine enemies to flight and didst break them asunder, O Isidore, protected by the awesome weapon of the Cross and girded about with might; and thou didst destroy those who hated thee, crying: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind!

Following the death of the Master, thou didst endure sufferings for His sake; wherefore, the Lord of glory vouchsafed thee life incorruptible, O martyr. And into His hands didst thou commit thy soul, O all-blessed Isidore.

Theotokion: He Who became incarnate reneweth all of man, O all-pure one, having united Himself to him without leaving the bosom of the Father; and it was His will to make His abode within thy womb. And, having beggared Himself voluntarily, He hath enriched the world with a wealth of loving-kindness and divinity.

Ode V

Irmos: Wherefore hast Thou turned Thy face from me, O Light never-waning? And why hath a strange darkness covered me, wretch that I am? But turn me, and guide my steps to the light of Thy commandments, I pray.

Thou didst offer thyself to Christ thy Master as a perfect and unblemished sacrifice, and, slain in thy zeal, thou didst shed thy blood, O Isidore, sharing in His suffering and becoming a worthy heir of His kingdom.

Strengthened by Thine omnipotent might, O Savior, the right victorious martyr Isidore did away with the gloom of deception; for, beheaded, he right laudably committed his soul to Thee, the Bestower of light, O Master.

The Church of Christ is adorned with thy precious blood and made luminous by thy sufferings through thine opposition to sin, O glorious one; for thou didst mightily contend against it even to the shedding of thy blood, O Isidore.

Theotokion: Human nature, which had been defiled by disobedience in the beginning and grievously corrupted, becoming mortal, hast thou restored, O all-immaculate Mistress Theotokos who in manner past understanding gavest birth to the Wellspring of immortality.

Ode VI

Irmos: I pour forth my prayer unto the Lord, and to Him do I declare my grief; for my soul is full of evil and my life hath drawn nigh unto hell, and like Jonah I pray: Lead me up from corruption, O God!

Having acquired perfect love for God, O all-blessed athlete, for the sake of incorrupt good things thou didst truly forsake the love of earthly things, and didst hasten, crying: “I have hastened to follow after Thee, O Master!”

Like a right magnificent bridegroom adorned with the beauties of martyrdom, O Isidore, thou didst ascend, rejoicing, to the heavens, to stand before the Radiance which is the source of good, praying ever in behalf of those who keep thy memory.

Thou didst endure slaying, O athlete, truly looking forward to the eternal delight and the ever-living sustenance which awaited thee; and as an invincible martyr, with the martyrs thou didst truly receive a crown, O all-blessed Isidore.

Theotokion: O Mary, thou dwelling-place of the Master, radiantly resplendent like a lily in the luminous rays of virginity amid a riot of thorns, I beseech thee, the good one: Grant me forgiveness of offenses.

Kontakion & ikos from the Pentecostarion.

Ode VII

Irmos: In the furnace the Hebrew children boldly trod the flame underfoot and transformed the fire into dew, crying out: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God, forever!

Shining now with spiritual radiance, O thrice-blessed one, be thou well-pleased to shine upon those who chant with thee, crying: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God, forever! Twice

O thine all-good struggles! For thereby thou didst destroy the falsehood of idolatry and didst put the cruelties of the tyrant to shame, crying: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God, forever!

Theotokion: O most holy Virgin Mistress, with the oil of thy loving-kindness heal thou the wounds of mine offenses, for I cry: Blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, O all-holy one!

Ode VIII

Irmos: Madly did the Chaldæan tyrant heat the furnace sevenfold for the pious ones; but, beholding them saved by a higher Power, he cried out to the Creator and Deliverer: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

For his own purposes the tyrant strove to break the might and power of thine endurance with blandishments, O most blessed Isidore; but thou, O divinely wise one, didst cry out: “I fear Christ and serve Him! Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Most radiant like the sun, thy countenance was shown to be serene through thy joy in martyrdom; for, slain like an unblemished lamb, thou didst offer thyself to God, to Whom as Creator thou didst cry out in hymns: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Thy body appeared radiant to the ranks of angels who love thee and bore it aloft, O Isidore, shining with the effulgence of miracles and with the divers graces of wonderworking; and thou givest abundant healing unto those who cry: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Theotokion: Even the tongues of orators are unable to praise thee, O Theotokos Mary, O pure Maiden, Bride of God; for from thy virginal womb which knew not wedlock thou gavest birth to Him Who is God over all, Whom the children bless, the priests hymn, and the people exalt supremely for all ages.

Ode IX

Irmos: Heaven was stricken with awe, and the ends of the earth were amazed, that God hath appeared in the flesh, and that thy womb became more spacious than the heavens. Wherefore, the ranks of men and angels magnify thee as the Theotokos.

O Thou Who camest down from the heavens in the richness of Thy loving-kindness, Thou didst willingly endure death for our sake, in that Thou art good. Wherefore, looking to Thee, Isidore cried out: “I die with Thee, that I might live with Thee! I am crucified with Thee, that I might reign with Thee!”

O Isidore, the drops of thy blood which were lawfully shed upon the ground have magnificently dyed a robe for thee in the heavens, woven by grace; and arrayed now therein, thou standest before Christ in the bridal-chambers of heaven, wearing a crown, O all-blessed and glorious martyr.

As thou hast boldness before Christ, O Isidore, cease thou never to pray that He deliver from tempest, tribulations and sufferings those who keep thy sacred memory as is meet, O thrice-blessed one, asking salvation of soul; and vouchsafe unto us thy portion.

Theotokion: In that thou gavest birth to the Savior and Deliverer, O all-pure Maiden, vouchsafe that I might receive salvation, loosing the bonds of my transgressions by thy supplications; for thou canst accomplish all things soever thou desirest, in that thou didst bear the King of all in thy bosom with incomparable goodness.