CANON TO ST. PERPETUA

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.

Perpetua, holy lamb of the Creator, entreat him on behalf of all who celebrate you in song and honor your holy memory, for you are the adornment of the martyrs of Carthage.

Hearken to all the entreaties of your suppliants, O martyr, for they praise you as the fragrant alabaster vase of love and violet flower of faith, O chaste Perpetua.

Perpetua, as one who was clearly above the foul denial of Christ, render all who sing of your trials disdainful of the stench of the passions.

Generously furnish us, O Mother of God, the mercies and the multitude of the compassions of your son by the intercessions of Perpetua, for you are the blessed salvation of the world.

 

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 clement Lord.

Earnestly entreat Jesus, glorious Vibia Perpetua, admirable martyr, on behalf of us who run to your God-given favor amid our sufferings, trials and dangers.

Since you submitted to the attacks of wild animals and decapitation, O martyr Vibia Perpetua, you have been deemed worthy of heavenly renown and you have received

kind munificence to render the Most High merciful to all.

We the faithful duly and steadfastly celebrate you in song, Vibia Perpetua, as the all-venerable bride of the Creator, together with your revered and resolute Felicity, with whom render the Most High merciful to all.

O Queen and highly extolled Mother of the Deliverer, cease not to entreat your divine son, who is rich in mercy, on behalf of those who acclaim fervently the inconceivable sufferings of the martyr Perpetua.

 

Deem all your suppliants worthy of the heavenly glory which you unceasingly enjoy, Perpetua, O holy lamb yet brave martyr.

Perpetua, adornment of the steadfast martyrs and flower of Carthage, do not cease to entreat your bridegroom Christ, on behalf of all who honor your resolve to endure imprisonment, attacks of wild animals and the cutting of your august neck for the sake of the faith.

 

Ode IV

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

Having put the ungodly to shame, Vibia Perpetua, by your resolute bearing in the face of beheading you received the grace to defend those who honor you.

Grant power, Vibia Perpetua, to those who honor you as the champion of Carthage, for you have received divine power from on high.

Pray, Perpetua, with Felicity, your august fellow-martyr, and Saturus, your teacher, for us who sincerely bless you.

O highly favored Mother of God, you are the cause of the joy of the world.  By your beneficent influence deliver from painful sufferings and afflictions those who run to you.

Shower the rain of divine grace on us, for we celebrate you, Perpetua, as a mother who preferred Christ to your own baby.

 

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

With hymns and songs we magnify your readiness to suffer a cruel martyrdom and the beheading of your very fair head.

Celebrating your contest, Perpetua, with pleasing hymns, we await your fervent supplications to your heavenly bridegroom.

Send down to us the measureless mercy of your son, pure Virgin and Mother, for we magnify Perpetua’s heroic deeds.

 

Ode 6

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.

Perpetua, you guided your feet on account of the faith to combat with beasts and beheading; having hallowed the stadium of Carthage, you received great grace to hallow those who magnify you.

O Perpetua!  As the exceedingly brilliant and foremost leader in the stadium, you disdained the deceptive Severus, and took pleasure in the contest for Christ, your bridegroom; entreat him earnestly on behalf of all who honor your contest.

Perpetua, excellent martyr and comfort of the faithful, the cries of your nursing baby rang in your ears when the animals began to tear asunder your soft flesh and the sword cut off your sacred head.

Hearken to the voices of your suppliants, O Mother of God and our Queen, and quickly restrain the uprisings of the flesh of those who acclaim the arena of the martyric contest of the august Perpetua, the comely bride of your divine son.

 

[Prayers between Odes 6 and 7.]

Deem all your suppliants worthy of unceasing heavenly glory, which you enjoy, O valiant Perpetua, as the august lamb and martyr of the Lord.

 

Kontakion.
The crown of the noblest tribulations, Perpetua, was received from the hands of your heavenly bridegroom; send down his measureless mercy on us who affectionately celebrate your memory.

Vibia Perpetua of Carthage, living adornment of the martyrs, who proclaimed Christ the God-man, whom you especially loved with your whole heart, even more than your nursing baby: since you for his sake endured prison, tortures, attacks of beasts and the sword, to the point of martyrdom, send down the mercy of the Creator on all, beseeching him together with Felicity, who imitated zealously your struggles and with the other four, resolute, divine martyrs who struggled alongside you.

 

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.

Excellent martyr, august Perpetua, the streams of your youthful blood dyed the robe of your soul in the middle of Carthage; Christ received your soul and by your prayers allots the prize to the faithful.

Do not cease to beseech the Savior Christ, Perpetua, with Felicity, Saturus, Saturninus and Revocatus the valiant, together with the renowned Secundus, on behalf of your suppliants.

Fragrant violet of Carthage, you sweeten all the faithful with your noble way of life and martyric sufferings, through which you have received munificent kindness to entreat Christ to be gracious to those who hymn you.

Compassionate Mother, by the intercessions of Perpetua, the ewe-lamb of your Son, cause the tumult of my passions and afflictions to cease by your all-powerful hand, for you are the Lady Mother of God, the Queen blessed by all.

 

Ode VIII

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

Render all who hymn you to be partakers of the kingdom of heaven, martyr Perpetua, as you were the foremost struggler of the stadium.

Martyr Perpetua, we faithfully take refuge in your intercessions with the Creator of the world, hymning you as the august victor.

Having received the judgment of victory from God, bless, Perpetua, all who honor you as a victorious martyr.

Scatter the gloom of our sordid passions, for we faithfully hymn you, Virgin, full of grace, as our refuge of dispassion.

 

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.

Having taken exceedingly reverently the road of martyrdom in Carthage, you have reached Heaven, to render the Most High merciful to us.

As we hymn your contest and beheading, we hasten, Perpetua, by your intercessions, to your very merciful Bridegroom, O brave one.

Fill our hearts with joy, who faithfully hymn you, blessed Perpetua, as a decorous victor and most excellent martyr.

With Perpetua, the bride of your all-good son, O Mother of God, entreat him on behalf of us who earnestly bless you.

 

 

 

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