Celebrates On the 5 Of July
(New calendar July 5th and old calendar July 18th)
Kontakion 1
Come, all ye who love
Christ, and let us offer up a hymn of praise unto the martyred nun Elizabeth,
who was chosen by the Lord of hosts to serve as an example of Christian piety
and love for those who desire to follow in His steps. For, spurning the vanity
of worldly possessions, rank and cares, she dedicated her whole life to the aid
of those in need. Wherefore, it hath pleased Christ our God to crown her
ascetic labors with the diadem of martyrdom; and, dwelling now in His heavenly
kingdom, she maketh supplication unto God, that He deliver from misfortunes and
perils all who chant unto her with joy:
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Ikos 1
The Creator of the angels
and Lord of mankind led thee from the delusion of heresy to the divine
knowledge of the Truth, O blessed Elizabeth, that thy loving heart and soul
might renew Christian love, which had grown cold in the land of Russia: for
through thine efforts the hearts of men again warmed to the word of God, and
the Master of all vouchsafed thee to live a life exalted above thy peers, in
love, humility and fervent prayer. Wherefore, we ever chant unto thee, as is
meet:
Rejoice, lamb burning with
the love of God;
Rejoice, handmaid of
Christ the Lord!
Rejoice, scroll whereon
the Holy Spirit inscribed the Christian virtues;
Rejoice, divinely wise
princess and new martyr!
Rejoice, daughter who
forsook they father’s house and turned to Holy Orthodoxy;
Rejoice, vessel wherein
the wine of gladness and the oil of healing are mingled together;
Rejoice, upholder of the
traditions of piety!
Rejoice, treasure-house of
compassion;
Rejoice, radiant star
resplendent with heavenly glory!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 2
Christ found thee a lily
among thorns and chose thee to adorn His garden of Holy Orthodoxy, O venerable
one: for he Who alone knoweth the hearts of men perceived from on high thy
great love for thy neighbor, and bestowed upon thee a wealth of spiritual
gifts, that we might come to understand the mystery of God’s great mercy,
enabling us to take part with thee therein and to join chorus with thee in
chanting unto Him: Alleluia!
Ikos 2
Knowing in thy heart that
God’s will ruleth over all creation, and seeking to obey His will alone, thou
was well pleased to shoulder the great cross which He prepared for thee, O holy
one: for when thou didst witness the cruel and pitiless slaughter of thy
husband, thy heart was pierced with grief and sorrow, as with a two-edged
sword; yet thou didst take courage, and uttered the Savior’s own words:
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And seeking to turn
this vile deed to goodness, thou didst beseech him who committed the murder to
repent. And we too beg thine intercession before the Lord, that He avert His
righteous anger from us who chant to thee such praises as these:
Rejoice, thou who didst
deem mercy greater than sacrifice;
Rejoice, thou who prayest
for sinners and penitents!
Rejoice, thou who didst
bear thy cross to a new Golgotha;
Rejoice, thou who didst
not reject the crown of thorns offered thee!
Rejoice, thou didst put
jealously to flight;
Rejoice, thou who
reprovest thou who fall away from truth and grace!
Rejoice, thou who didst
not set the love of family above the love of God;
Rejoice, thou who didst
fulfill the words of Christ!
Rejoice, thou who didst
seek out the good in every man;
Rejoice, thou who was sent
unto Russia, to turn her away from evil to the good!
Rejoice, thou who dost
ever cry out to Christ: Lord, have mercy;
Rejoice, thou who standest
invisible in our midst as we pray!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 3
The power of the Most High
overshadowed thy sorrow and pain, O royal passion-bearer, and finding sweet
consolation therein thou didst die to this world, that thou mightest live in
Christ: thou didst shun the fleeting pleasures and vanities of this life, didst
clothe thyself in garments of joy and salvation, and didst abide in palaces,
praying and chanting to God therein: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
With a fervent desire to
serve thy fellow man, thou didst gather a multitude of souls to labor for God;
and, raising up a house of mercy, which thou didst dedicate to the Protection
of the all-holy Theotokos, O holy Elizabeth, thou didst choose our holy mothers
Martha and Mary as the heavenly patrons, emulating them as paragons of piety
and good works. And mindful of the magnitude of thy charitable deeds and
Christian virtues, we praise thy memory, chanting thus:
Rejoice, thou who didst
open thy heart to good deeds;
Rejoice, thou who didst
gather the virtues into a spiritual sheaf!
Rejoice, thou who hast
been reckoned among the friends of Christ;
Rejoice, thou who didst
hearken to His words!
Rejoice, thou who dost
ever rejoice in thy Lord;
Rejoice, thou who fillest
our hearts with joy when we call upon thy name!
Rejoice, thou who
rewardest those who seek thy heavenly aid;
Rejoice, thou who dost
speedily fulfill the requests of those who have recourse to thee with faith!
Rejoice, thou who has
adorned the city of Moscow;
Rejoice, obedient handmaid
of the holy Mary and Martha!
Rejoice, thou who didst
hide thy good works from the eyes of the haughty;
Rejoice, thou who dost
call all of us to perform deeds of mercy!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 4
Those who were
tempest-tossed amid the tumults of life and foundered upon the floods of the
passions didst thou guide to the calm haven of salvation which thou didst
establish in the royal city of Moscow, O holy Elizabeth; for having opened thy
heart unto God, thou didst open its doors to the children of God, showing them
the mercy of their heavenly Father. Wherefore, thou hast now been shown to be
the patroness of the forgotten and oppressed. Cover us all with thy holy
protection, that we may be moved to cry aloud to our good God: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
Accepting the counsel of
the elders of the Hermitage of Saint Zosimas, thou didst prove thyself to be an
obedient daughter of the Orthodox Faith, O venerable martyr, so that thine own
words brought profit and consolation to all who hearkened unto thee. Thou was a
most wise abbess and a loving mother, who tended well the flock entrusted to
thee, teaching them how to care for the afflicted as a sister of mercy by thine
own example, O holy princess. Wherefore, tend thou also the ailments of our
souls, that we may cry aloud unto thee:
Rejoice, thou who
anointest all with the oil of mercy;
Rejoice, thou who stillest
the tempest of sorrows!
Rejoice, instruction of
those who turn to Orthodoxy!
Rejoice, pillar of truth
set firmly upon the rock of the Faith!
Rejoice, thou who dost
rescue us from the mire of despondency;
Rejoice, thou who feedest
the orphan and the widow!
Rejoice, thou who didst
embrace charity with thy whole heart;
Rejoice, thou who didst
exchange a palace for a poor and humble cell!
Rejoice, thou who didst
put aside thy royal robes to don the hairshirt of asceticism;
Rejoice, thou who didst
lay thy princely coronet at the feet of the Savior!
Rejoice, thou who didst
take up the Cross as a kingly scepter;
Rejoice, thou who didst
love God more than earthly honor and glory!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 5
Thou has been revealed to
us as a most radiant star adorning the vault of the firmament of the Church, O
martyr of Christ. And ever illumined by the effulgence of thy sufferings, unto
Christ, the Judge of the contest, do we offer hymnody of thanksgiving for thee,
and we chant unto Him: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
Through the guidance of
the heavenly intercessors who shone forth in Russia-the venerable Sergius of
Radonezh, and Peter, the divinely eloquent Metropolitan of Moscow, in company
with Martha and Mary, the sisters beloved of Christ-the narrow and royal path
which alone leadeth to salvation was disclosed to thee, and travelling it thou
becamest a model for all Orthodox Christians dwelling in the Russian Empire,
showing them how to unite the ideals of ascetic endeavor and charitable acts.
Wherefore, for thee grace was added unto grace, and whilst thou was yet alive
the report of thy holiness spread far and wide. The pious cried out in wonder
to God Who is wondrous in His saints: “Glory b to Thee, O Lord!”; and to thee
they uttered such praises as these:
Rejoice, scion of a royal
house who tended the sores of paupers with thine own hands;
Rejoice, paragom of
monastic virtue and rule of faith!
Rejoice, thou who didst
reject worldly praise and hast received heavenly rewards;
Rejoice, thou who dost
partake of everlasting splendor on high!
Rejoice, thou who didst
expose spiritual deception;
Rejoice, thou who didst
strengthen the common folk in the true Faith!
Rejoice, thou who dost
ever summon the faithful to prayer and vigilance;
Rejoice, thou who didst
adopt the Russian nation as thy homeland!
Rejoice, thou who didst
spurn the praises of men;
Rejoice, beacon guiding
all to the safe harbor of heaven;
Rejoice, thou who didst
labor for Christ in the midst of the world!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 6
How can angels and men
refrain from wonderment when they ponder the depths of they love and
compassion? For thy convent was not only a spiritual haven for those seeking
salvation, but also a well-spring gushing forth torrents of consolation upon
those parched by the burning heat of the passions. By thine own examples where
thy sisters, the handmaidens of Christ, taught how to comfort the sorrowing,
tend the sick, teach the ignorant, correct the erring and prepare the dying for
the life which is to come. Wherefore, thy nuns joined chorus with thee to
praise the Lord continually, chanting unto Him: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
As a true image of piety
thou didst venerate the wonder-icons and holy relics enshrined throughout the
Russian land. Her monasteries and countless churches witnessed thine ascetic
feats and fervent prayers. Thy tears, shed in such profusion, adorned thy
person like lustrous pearls and moved to wonder those who beheld thee. And we
who cherish thy holy memory exalt in spirit, crying out to thee:
Rejoice, image of piety
who delighted to venerate the sacred icons of the Mother of God;
Rejoice, thou who dost
ever bless those who have recourse unto thy precious relics!
Rejoice, wise pilgrim
whose destiny was the kingdom of heaven;
Rejoice, adornment of Holy
Russia!
Rejoice, thou who art ever
magnified by the Holy Church;
Rejoice, thou who didst
not forsake Russia in her time of tribulation!
Rejoice, thou who didst
perceive the providence of God in all that befell thee;
Rejoice, thou who didst teach
others to set their hope on Christ alone!
Rejoice, thou who wast
present when the venerable Seraphim was glorified;
Rejoice, thou who didst
venerate his grace-bearing relics!
Rejoice, thou who didst
hear the prophecy of that holy father;
Rejoice, thou who didst
prophesy the down-fall of the Orthodox monarchy!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 7
When those who been told
slanderous tales about thee were brought before thee, O royal martyr, they
perceived thine innocence and blamelessness and the holiness of thy life, for
thou didst sacrifice thyself for the good of others, and thy heart was ever
intent upon their needs, so that thou didst ever move them to chant unto God:
Alleluia!
Ikos 7
“This is no new creation
or concept, neither do I depart from the Church traditions,” thou didst declare
unto those who sought to discredit thy convent and labors; “I only repeat what
the Church teacheth; for it is Christ Who saith: ‘Love thy neighbor’, and the
divine Theologian doth manifestly thunder: ‘If ye do not love your neighbor
whom ye see, ye cannot love God Whom ye see not.’” Thou didst but renew that
which had grown old, and hast revealed to us the essence of true love in the
miracle of thy life. Wherefore, we chant to thee thus:
Rejoice, thou who dost
ever care for our souls;
Rejoice, holy princess,
worthy of all praise! Rejoice, thou who didst unite love and mercy, as a bridge
joineth land to land;
Rejoice, thou who didst
know well saving words of grace! Rejoice, thou who wast persecuted for
right-teousness’ sake;
Rejoice, for truly great
is thy reward in the heavens! Rejoice, thou who didst silence blasphemy and
impiety by thy faith in Christ;
Rejoice, thou who didst
most humbly endure the calumny and slander hurled at thee by thine own
countrymen! Rejoice, thou who didst love righteousness and hate falsehood;
Rejoice, thou who didst
not seek to avoid the reproaches of men, that thou mightest receive praise from
the Lord! Rejoice, thou who didst love the Gospel above all else;
Rejoice, thou who didst
ever delight in the words thereof!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 8
Having beheld a sight
strange to all-the fall of an empire once dedicated to God, the desecration of
all that is holy, and the public ridicule of the martyred Emperor
Nicholas,-thou didst shed endless streams of tears for all the tribulations
which had befallen thine adopted homeland. Yet trusting in God, and believing
this to be His holy will, thou didst never cease to cry out to Him: Alleluia!
Ikos 8
In a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, the nation was overtake by chaos, thy family was taken
away, and all thy friends stood afar off. Only a few fearless hierarchs came to
comfort thee and thy sisters, O royal martyr. Thy convent was as a sheep-fold
beset by ravening wolves; yet thou didst remain undaunted by their depredations
during those violent days, ever preserving thy flock from harm by thy
supplications. Wherefore, receive from us these praises:
Rejoice, royal servant of
the omnipotent King;
Rejoice, handmaid of the
Queen of heaven! Rejoice, thou who with the royal martyrs wast prey to grievous
slanders;
Rejoice, thou who didst
find consolation in service of God! Rejoice, thou who didst not judge the
sinful lies of men;
Rejoice, thou who didst
refuse to condone their misdeeds! Rejoice, thou who didst uproot the tares of
evil growing in the royal garden;
Rejoice, thou who didst
not approve of vile and wicked deeds! Rejoice, thou who ever helpest us to see
the will of God in all things;
Rejoice, thou who didst
rebuke the riotous multitude with thy courage! Rejoice, for thou didst not turn
away from the hapless Tsar when he was mocked and abused;
Rejoice, thou who with him
and his family dost ever rejoice in heaven!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 9
The angelic armies on high
were stricken with awe, beholding Holy Russia bound and led to bloody slaughter
by those who wage war against God; for, bleeding and dying in the arena of
martyrdom, the land is dyed red with the blood of the countless new martyrs,
who cry out continually to the Lord of hosts: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
The vile minions of Satan,
sinful men with hands reeking of the blood of the innocent, openly reviled God,
and mockingly asked thee how thou who art of royal blood couldst minister to
the poor and lowly, O royal passion-bearer. But we marvel at thy patience and
humility, and cry out unto thee:
Rejoice, thou who didst
quench the flames of discontent with thy tears;
Rejoice, thou who didst
lament the woes of Russia, as Martha and Mary wept over Lazarus!
Rejoice, thou who didst
submit to the will of God;
Rejoice, thou who didst
behold the Savior enthroned on high!
Rejoice, venerable martyr
of royal birth;
Rejoice, thou who didst
put to shame those who mistreated thee! Rejoice, thou who dost bless those who
bless thee;
Rejoice, thou who wipest
the tears away from those who grieve! Rejoice, thou who dost calm our troubled
hearts;
Rejoice, thou who bowest
down before the throne of God, offering Him our entreaties! Rejoice, thou who
art ever attentive to His decrees;
Rejoice, thou who dost
continually preserve us from all harm!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 10
Wishing to make thee
captive, O martyr, evil-minded men arrived at thy convent on the third day of
Pascha, to separate thee from thy flock; for after the holy Patriarch Tikhon
the Confessor blessed thee and thy nuns, the wicked fell upon thee and took
thee away into exile. Yet knowing what was to follow, thou didst take with thee
thy faithful companion, the venerable Barbara, and with thee chanted the hymn
of victory unto the risen Christ: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
Banished to the heart of
Russia, hidden away from the eyes of the world, with prayer and fasting thou
didst prepare for thy departure from this life, O Elizabeth, when Companion
Barbara, and with the holy Princes Sergius, John, Igor, Constantine and
Vladimir, who were all to share in thy sufferings and receive incorruptible
crowns from the hands of the Savior. And sharing together in the delights of
heaven, attend ye unto our praises:
Rejoice, ye who ever pray
for the salvation of Russia;
Rejoice, ye who, though
cast down by the ungodly into the depths, have been raised on high by Christ!
Rejoice, ye who shed the
scarlet robe of royalty and put on the purple robe of martyrdom;
Rejoice, ye who where not
deceived by the deceit of the evil one!
Rejoice, ye who lift up
your hands to God in supplication;
Rejoice, ye who cast away
earthly riches to receive treasure in heaven!
Rejoice, patient sufferers
who endured all for the Lord;
Rejoice, ye who put to
shame those who took your lives, but could not slay your souls!
Rejoice, ye who received
wreaths of victory fashioned by the hand of the Creator;
Rejoice, bright
constellation of holy stars shining in the firmament of the Church!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontatkion 11
O the glorious wonder! A
mine depleted of its ore is shown to be full of the lustrous gold of grace and
piety! A shaft sunk deep into the bowels of the earth is shown to be a ladder
extending up to heaven, whereby Elizabeth and her companions ascend from the
depths unto the heights of paradise! O holy martyrs, ye blessed ones, as ye
delight in celestial joys forget not us who celebrate the memory of your godly
struggles, that with you we also may chant the angelic hymn: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
The minds of men, darkened
by their fallen state, are unable to devise for you hymns worthy of the pangs
and sufferings ye endured, O holy passion-bearers of Christ; for ye were like
unto the youths of Ephesus who fell asleep of death in a shaft sunk into the
earth, only to awaken in the splendid mansions of heaven, where ye now receive
from us our poor praises:
Rejoice, ye seven-branched
lampstand burning before the throne of God;
Rejoice, glory of
Alapayevsk!
Rejoice, ye who planted
the tree of life amid the barren mountains and watered it with your blood;
Rejoice, royal
passion-bearers, adorned with kindly diadems more precious than gold and costly
jewels!
Rejoice, O Barbara,
devoted daughter of thy spiritual mother;
Rejoice, ye who intercede
for your compatriots who find themselves amid suffering and exile!
Rejoice, O Sergius,
valiant confessor of the true Faith;
Rejoice, O brethren, equal
in number to the Trinity!
Rejoice, O Princes John,
Igor and Constantine, who were like unto the holy youths in the fiery furnace;
Rejoice, O Vladimir,
prince and martyr, who foresaw thine own suffering and death!
Rejoice, ye who have
washed your souls clean in the streams of your blood;
Rejoice, ye who stand
before the Savior in the ranks of the new martyrs and confessors!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 12
With the words of praise
shall we weave a wreath of victory to adorn the new passion-bearers of
Alapayevsk? For even if we try to recount their manifold labors, our own
weakness and hardness of heart puts us to shame. For while they ever sought
after the Lord, we ever stray father away from Him. Wherefore, come ye speedily
to our aid, and drive our enemies, visible and invisible, far away from us,
that unvexed and at peace, we may chant aloud unto God: Alleluia!
Ikos 12
We chant your praises, O
holy new martyrs of Alapayevsk, for when faced with death, ye manifestly
confessed Christ as God in the presence of the ungodly. Wherefore, the martyred
nun Barbara received from the hand of God a wreath fashioned of truth and
obedience, and her royal companions were endowed with two-fold crowns of
majesty and martyrdom for their struggles. And thus hath Christ the Lord, the
Judge of the contest, shown us all that it is meet to glorify them with such
praises as these:
Rejoice, boast of the
Urals;
Rejoice, ye who shone
forth like rays out of a dark pit!
Rejoice, ye who sanctified
a lowly mine-shaft;
Rejoice, ye who were like
unto Joseph, who was likewise cast into a pit by envious brethren!
Rejoice, ye who were like
unto Daniel, who was thrown into a lions’ den;
Rejoice, ye who have
summoned countless other new martyrs to the banquet of the Bridegroom!
Rejoice, ye who were
welcomed to the mansions of heaven by your kin, the martyred Tsar and his holy
family;
Rejoice, ye who were
slaughtered by the godless and unbelieving!
Rejoice, O Elizabeth, who
didst bind thy companions’ wounds and tend to their hurts;
Rejoice, thou who didst
encourage and strengthen them until the moment of their soul’s departure!
Rejoice, for thou didst
chant fitting hymns as their life ebbed away;
Rejoice, thou who before
an icon of the Savior didst surrender thine own soul into His hands!
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 13
O all-praised and
venerable martyr Elizabeth, with the other passions-bearers of Alapayevsk – the
martyrs Barbara, John, Igor, Constantine, Vladimir, and Sergius, accept this,
our meager hymnody of praise, which we offer to you in honor of the sufferings
and violent death ye endured for Christ; and beseech the all-holy Trinity our
God, that we be delivered from the perils and evil circumstances which beset us
throughout our life: that with you and all the new martyrs and confessors of
Russia we may ever chant unto the omnipotent Lord of heaven and earth:
Alleluia!
(Repeat Kontakion Thirteen
3 times)
(Then continue below)
Ikos 1
The Creator of the angels
and Lord of mankind led thee from the delusion of heresy to the divine
knowledge of the Truth, O blessed Elizabeth, that thy loving heart and soul
might renew Christian love, which had grown cold in the land of Russia: for
through thine efforts the hearts of men again warmed to the word of God, and
the Master of all vouchsafed thee to live a life exalted above thy peers, in
love, humility and fervent prayer. Wherefore, we ever chant unto thee, as is
meet:
Rejoice, lamb burning with
the love of God;
Rejoice, handmaid of
Christ the Lord!
Rejoice, scroll whereon
the Holy Spirit inscribed the Christian virtues;
Rejoice, divinely wise
princess and new martyr!
Rejoice, daughter who
forsook they father’s house and turned to Holy Orthodoxy;
Rejoice, vessel wherein
the wine of gladness and the oil of healing are mingled together;
Rejoice, upholder of the
traditions of piety!
Rejoice, treasure-house of
compassion;
Rejoice, radiant star
resplendent with heavenly glory!
Rejoice, O venerable martyr
Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Kontakion 1
Come, all ye who love
Christ, and let us offer up a hymn of praise unto the martyred nun Elizabeth,
who was chosen by the Lord of hosts to serve as an example of Christian piety
and love for those who desire to follow in His steps. For, spurning the vanity
of worldly possessions, rank and cares, she dedicated her whole life to the aid
of those in need. Wherefore, it hath pleased Christ our God to crown her
ascetic labors with the diadem of martyrdom; and, dwelling now in His heavenly
kingdom, she maketh supplication unto God, that He deliver from misfortunes and
perils all who chant unto her with joy:
Rejoice, O venerable
martyr Elizabeth, true model of Christian sacrifice!
Troparion, Tone 2
In that meekness,
humility, and love, which made their abode in thy soul, thou didst diligently
minister to the suffering, O holy Passion-bearer Princess Elisabeth; and with
faith didst endure suffering and death for Christ with the Martyr Barbara. With her do thou pray for all who honour thee
with love!
Kontakion, Tone 4
Taking up the Cross of
Christ, thou didst pass from royal glory to the glory of heaven, praying for
thine enemies, O holy Martyr Princess Elisabeth; and with the Martyr Barbara
thou didst find everlasting joy. Therefore, pray ye on behalf of our souls!
