SUPPLICATORY CANON TO ST. ARSENIUS THE CAPPADOCIAN

Ode I.
Irmos.  After crossing the sea as if it were dry ground and escaping the wickedness of Egypt, the Israelite cried out:  Let us sing to our redeemer and God.

Since you have acquired true joy, holy Father Arsenius, deliver those who run to your protection from every despondency and madness of the enemy.

You arose like a new star, shining upon us with your holy life; wherefore drive away the gloom of our passions by your intercessions, O saint.

You wholly abstained from the passing cares of this life; therefore, Father Arsenius, you deliver the mind, soul and heart of those who approach you from sorrows.

O Maiden, in your sympathy heal my badly wounded heart and ask for the forgiveness of my offences by your intercessions with your merciful Son.

Ode III
Irmos.  You covered the vault of the sky with a roof, O Lord, and built the church; confirm me in your love, O summit of desires, support of the faithful and only compassionate Lord.

As of old you delivered the greatest number of people from manifold diseases, O saint, by your intercession with the Lord, deliver us from every unclean passion and affliction, Father Arsenius.

Having magnified in your life the Lord of all, you have acquired the greatest glory, Father Arsenius; wherefore deliver us from great dangers and from the attacks of the destroyer of all.

O servant of the Lord and champion of the faithful, holy Arsenius, guide us all to the calm and saving harbors, to the untroubled and everlasting life.

In order to save the world, the cause of all things took flesh from your pure blood, O Maiden; wherefore heal my sickly flesh and illumine my mind with the light of grace.

 

Prayers read between Odes III & IV.

By your intercessions, divine Arsenius, preserve from every sudden attack and affliction those who run to your fervent protection.

Tone 2.  Fervent intercession.
Earnestly entreat Christ, Arsenius, to give us the forgiveness of our offences, the healing of our passions, health of soul and body and progress in living a reverent life, so that we may attain to divine glory.

Ode IV
Irmos.  I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of your dispensation; I have meditated on your works and glorified your divinity.

Illuminated by the gifts of the divine Spirit, holy Father, freely take pity on us and deliver us from oppressive affliction.

Beg for divine strength, Arsenius, to be given to my utterly exhausted soul, so that I may escape every treacherous deception of the destroyer.

As you saved demoniacs from the power of the adversary, so also deliver us, Arsenius, from his unexpected attacks.

You were a divine mountain, densely-shaded with your opulent graces, O Mother of God, from which the Savior descended to the world and saved mankind.

Ode V
Irmos.  Illumine us with your commandments, O Lord, and by your lofty arm grant us your peace, O merciful God.

Raise our heart, holy father, to the perfect love of Christ, guiding us in peace, Arsenius.

By the mystical rains of your intercessions with the Lord completely extinguish the flame of the passions which causes us to waste away, Father Arsenius.

We always ask of you to crush, wise saint, the subtle contrivances of the enemy, preserving us unharmed by his schemes.

Direct us to the better life, Virgin; ward off the attacks of the enemy and grant peace to our souls.

Ode VI
Irmos.  I will pour out my supplication to the Lord and to him will I declare my afflictions, for my soul has been filled with troubles and my life has approached Hades, so like Jonah I pray:  Raise me up from death, O God.

You received from God, Arsenius, the salvific power of miracles; wherefore ever heal all the illnesses of our souls and bodies; preserve me from them untouched, Father, for I have fled for refuge to your protection.

By the stillness of your warm intercession transform the bitter storm of my passions into peace, Father, and guide me safely to the harbor of the divine will, for you have boldness of speech with the Lord.

Numbered in the choir of the saints, as one who has completed his life in a holy fashion, grant sanctification, joy and peace to the monastery of the Theologian, Father, which has acquired your divine relics as a divine treasure.

Since you bore the creator and savior of all from your pure womb, save me, Maiden, from the madness of the enemy, and fortify me with the fear of my creator, so that I may walk steadfastly the road of his holy will.

Kontakion in Tone 2.
Having glorified the Lord by your asceticism, you were deemed by him to be worthy of divine glory; wherefore deliver us from the ignominy of pernicious passions and afflictions, divine Arsenius.

Ode VII
Irmos.  The youths from Judea, having come to Babylon of old, by their faith in the Trinity trampled down the flame of the furnace, chanting, O God of our fathers, blessed are you.

With ardent purpose, barren women came once to your divine relics and became mothers rejoicing in their children through your intercessions, thrice-blessed Arsenius.

By your cleansing intercession remove the wounds of my soul and give me genuine means of repentance, as my ardent defender, holy Arsenius, and fellow-citizen of the angels.

The monastery of the Theologian has acquired a divine prize, Father Arsenius—your divine relics, which convey divine grace to those who faithfully approach them and invisibly fill them with heavenly joy.

Having spread out on us the incorruptible grace of your protection, always ward off from us every wile of the murderous enemy and direct us to the path of salvation.

Ode VIII
Irmos.  The king of Heaven whom the hosts of angels hymn, hymn and exalt him above all forever.

With the holy staff of your divine visitation, guide us as sheep, Father, to the deathless and mystical pastures.

Behold from above those who stand reverently by your relics and give to them, Father, the abundant manifestation of your help.

Protect unceasingly with your fatherly assistance those who lie in terrible slavery, saving them alive from harm and dangers.

Heal, Maiden, my ailing soul and furnish me with tears of repentance, so that I may glorify you, O Full of Grace.

Ode IX
Irmos.  O Mother of God, we who have been saved through you fittingly confess you, and with the incorporeal choirs magnify you, O pure Virgin.

Divine Arsenius, from all the madness of our enemies, visible and invisible, deliver the multitude of the Orthodox Christians who magnify you.

As you have joined the choir of the saints, with them beseech God on our behalf, divine Arsenius, for we celebrate your divine victories.

Now that you praise God in Trinity with the angels in the heights, holy Father, ever beseech him to save us who praise you in song.

We hymn you, Virgin, as the Mother of God, and we cry out the Rejoice with never silent voices to you, for by your intercession, Maiden, we are ever saved.

 

ENDNOTES FOR THE CIRCUMSPECT

My thanks to Zoilus for proofing my Greek and to eagle-eyed Aeteia, my lawfully wedded, for proofing my English.  All remaining errors are mine own.

Ode III
"Affliction" (κάκωσις), which besides affliction (Montanari) can also be ill-treatment, suffering, distress (Great Scott).
"Flesh . . . flesh" (σάρκα . . . σαρκίον).  Σαρκίον can have a negative connotation, meaning Classically piece or strip of meat, though in Christian prose it can refer to the body of Christ.  Cf. Lampe.

Ode VII
"Through your intercessions" (lit., τῇ ἀντιλήψει τῇ σῇ).  As Kittel points out, ἀντίληψις is based on the idea of holding or supporting, which leads to defending, helping and protecting.