Proemium 

     (Scansion different--probably an older verse adopted by Theodore) 

     Gone from things transitory, piously departed, 
     He rests in peace with the righteous ones. 
     O Christ, who art God, 
     E'en if as man he has sinned with us upon the earth, 
     Thou who art sinless, lay not to his charge 
     What he willingly did amiss 
     And what unwillingly; 
     So prays the Mother who bore Thee. 
     Thus may we join all our voices as we sing for him 
     Our Alleluia. 

     Troparion I 


     [Irmos by Romanus the Melodist] 

     Passing strange is the sight and the mystery 
     For he breathes not, my comrade of yesterday, 
     And the voice that was speaking it speaketh not, 
     And the eye that beheld, it beholdeth not. 
     Each of his members is silenced. 
     His decree hath God sent out against him as 'tis written, 
     And no more will he come to his place of old, 
     Where we mortals are singing and sounding the strain 
     Our Alleluia. 

    Troparion II 


     As a son of the day thou art gone afar, 
     But for us there are tears for the loss of thee, 
     As we think of the graces adorning thee, 
     All thy love, all thy zeal, all thy gentleness. 
     We keep thy glories in our memory. 
     On thy shoulders thy cross didst thou carry still in patience, 
     And didst follow the Lord on thy earthly way, 
     Wherefore come, and to God let us sound forth the strain, 
     Our Alleluia. 

     Troparion III 

 
     Tell me now, worthy friend, what I ask of thee, 
     Tell me where thou dost dwell who art snatched away? 
     With what souls has thy lot been appointed thee? 
     Hast risen to the regions celestial? 
     Hast thou attained to the things thou hopedst for? 
     Hast thou found an abode in the shining light? 
     O tell me Where the choirs of the living make melody, 
     As the shout of their triumph goes up to the Lord, 
     Their Alleluia. 

     Troparion IV 


     For thy voice it was pleasant to hearken to, 
     Thy converse was gentle and courteous, 
     Thou wert brother beloved of the brotherhood, 
     Loving good, hating evil, and pitiful; 
     The truth thou spokest in sincerity, 
     With no craft in thy tongue to resist the Lord's commandment. 
     But on all men thy face looked in kindliness, 
     And for this he will love thee who sings to the Lord 
     His Alleluia. 

     Troparion V 


     Thou hast gone through thy conflict of holiness, 
     Thou hast finished thy course in obedience, 
     Thou hast passed through the trenches, O valiant one, 
     Of all lustful desire thou art conqueror, 
     And to shame hast thou put the Evil One, 
     And in meekness thy neck hast thou bowed beneath thy shepherd, 
     And excelled in thy humble obedience, 
     And for this will he love thee who sings to the Lord 
     His Alleluia. 

    Troparion VI 


     Yet we seem in the spirit to look on thee, 
     And to see thee as still with us sojourning, 
     When together we joined in our harmony, 
     Working our God-given work in piety; 
     Work that delighted all our hearts to do; 
     And we fervently long for thee our sometime companion, 
     But our wishes are vain, for we find thee not, 
     With whom fain would we sing as we raise to the Lord 
     Our Alleluia. 

     Troparion VII 


     For a dream is our life and a vanity, 
     This thou knewest, for God had instructed thee, 
     Thou hast left thy parents at his word to thee. 
     And thy bretheren and companions and family, 
     So great was thy desire for the Lord himself, 
     All the world and its glory didst thou esteem as nothing, 
     And instead thou hast life for eternity, 
     And for this he will love thee who sings to the Lord 
     His Alleluia. 

     Troparion VIII 


     Yet thou seemest to speak to us hearkening, 
     "O my brothers attend to the word I say 
     'Tis the hour, come and fight while the strife is on, 
     Now is the day, there is work to do 
     Now ere the stadium is closed to you, 
     O beloved, give diligence Belial to conquer, 
     That the glory from Christ may redound to you, 
     And a song shall ye sing to the praise of the Lord, 
     Your Alleluia. 

     Troparion IX 


     "O how pleasant the life ye have chosen you! 
     O how sweet'tis to dwell in a brotherhood! 
     For the Saviour himself has commended it, 
     When he spake by King David in psalmody. 
     Rejoice then, bretheren, in all joyfulness 
     In obeying your shepherd and each one loving other, 
     And your passions send far and spurn away, 
     That your song may resound with the praises of God 
     Your Alleluia. 

     Troparion X 


     "Yet a word would I say in farewell to you, 
     O my brothers, no longer you look on me, 
     And my voice never more shall be heard of you, 
     Till the Judge gives his sentence concerning me. 
     That day so terrible when we mortals 
     Shall present ourselves trembling before the throne Eternal, 
     Whence each soul shall receive all its recompense, 
     And the living shall sound forth the praises of God, 
     Their Alleluia. 

     Troparion XI 


     "Great the terror and fear all surrounding you, 
     Hasten then, wait not, zealously all of you, 
     In obedience ever directing you, 
     Let the law be your rule and accomplish it. 
     For Satan lurketh like a lion hid, 
     And he roars as he seeks for the prey of spirits living, 
     By hardness with meekness rise victorious, -- 
     That ye all may sound forth to the praise of the Lord 
     Your Alleluia." 

     Troparion XII 


     We have heard all the things thou hast said to us: 
     Since to thee has the Ruler seemed pitiful, 
     For us all do thou evermore supplicate, 
     That receiveing instruction we go our way, 
     And fight and labour in all discipline, 
     That our shepherd may bear his rule over us in wisdom 
     And that God may give grace to us each and all, 
     That we all may sound forth to the praise of the Lord 
     Our Alleluia. 

 ON THE CRUCIFIXION  


     Triodion, for Friday of the Third Week in Lent 

     'Twas a skull the name had given 
     To the place where they crucified thee, Christ, 
     The Jews; their heads they wagged at thee 
     In laughter and in contumely. 
     Thou didst endure it, 
     To deliver us all. 

     On the Cross they wrote a title, 
     And the tongues of the superscription three; 
     On Thee, one of the Trinity. 
     And Thou must suffer, Pilate said, 
     As thou wert willing, 
     To deliver us, Christ. 

     Of the Trinity in Glory 
     The triple light the faithful shall adore. 
     As Light the Father worshiping, 
     As Light the Son they glorify, 
     As Light the Spirit 
     They proclaim in their song. 

HYMN FOR SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY (from the Triodion)  


     Part of a Canon 

     Day of terror, I behold Now 
     Thine appearance, glory unuttered, 
     Fearfully I look for the judgment to come, 
     Now Thou art enthroned 
     Quick and dead will now be judged, 
     Lord God who art omnipotent. 

     When Thou comest, O my God, 
     There will be Thousands, there will be myriads, 
     Princes of the Heavens in attendance on Thee; 
     And me wilt Thou summon. 
     I must come before Thy face 
     O Christ in all my wretchedness. 

     Come and take to thee, my soul, 
     Take all the terror, think of the judgement, 
     When we all shall see that the Lord is at hand, 
     Lament in thy mourning; 
     Thus in purity be found, 
     And bear the test appointed thee. 

     Now the fear doth quell my soul 
     Of fires of Hell that never are quenched, 
     Worm that doth not die, and the gnashing of teeth. 
     But save and deliver 
     And appoint to me, O Christ, 
     A place with Thine elected ones. 

     'Tis Thy voice, ever adored, 
     Which doth Thy saints to their glory summon 
     Joyfully; that voice shall I hear, even I, 
     The feeble one, finding 
     Of the Kingdom in the Heavens 
     The blessedness unspeakable. 

     Enter not, I would beseech, 
     In judgment, reckoning my transgressions, 
     Searching all my words, taking court of intents; 
     But remembering mercy, 
     Overlooking all my faults 
     Save me, O Thou Omnipotent.