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A Vision and an Akathist:
Towards an Orthodox Metropolia of Western Europe
And it
shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions.
Joel, 2,28
Introduction:
The Idea
The
April 2003 proposal of His Holiness Patriarch Alexis of Moscow and All
Russia for an Orthodox Metropolia of Western Europe, the building block
for an eventual Church of Western Europe, is still sending out ripples.
The ripples are positive, inasmuch as potential structures are now beginning
to take shape. As long ago as 1988, in view of the Millennium of the
Baptism of Russia, which was also the beginning of the 'Second Baptism
of Russia', we put forward a vision of those structures that could one
day come into existence (See 'A Vision for the Orthodox Churches of Western
Europe' - also on this site under 'Orthodox Europe').
Clearly,
that was far in advance of reality, but nevertheless not unrealistic in
the very long term. In the same spirit (also far in advance of the reality!),
we would now like to make pleas for certain infrastructures. For, if there
is to be a serious effort to form a Western European Metropolia, it will
need monasteries, convents, schools, hostels, a multilingual press, candle-factories,
a professional facility to paint and mount icons, sew vestments and cassocks,
make liturgical utensils and church-furnishings and cast bells, and, above
all, a whole programme of church-building. If generous patrons could be
found, the following particular needs should be borne in mind:
New
Churches for Western Europe
1.
All new churches should have two altars. In the larger church, services
should be celebrated in the language of the majority (for example, Slavonic).
In the smaller one, services should be available in the local language,
for example, French, English, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Dutch,
Italian etc.
2.
All new churches should contain a baptistery. With large numbers of adult
Europeans now unbaptized, there should be the possibility of carrying
out baptisms normally, i.e. by immersion.
3.
All new churches should be provided with bells as well as a church hall,
meeting-rooms and classrooms.
4.
All new churches should be provided with enough living accommodation for
at least one full-time priest and one professional choir director and
their families.
5.
All new churches should be provided with funding for clergy and a choir
director. Enough of: 'There's no need to pay the priest anything, he can
get a proper job. The only time he does anything is on Sundays'. That
leads directly to the other statement that we have so often heard, notably
from Russians and Greeks, but no doubt said by others, to their own children:
'You don't want to become/marry a priest, it's so badly paid'. Enough
of this mentality, because these attitudes lead directly to health breakdowns
and the premature deaths of overworked and exhausted clergy, which in
turn lead to the refusal by young people, including clergy children, to
become clergy themselves or to marry future clergy.
The
price? Each such church would cost at least one million pounds to build
and fund. But you could build up to one hundred such churches, if every
baptized Orthodox in Western Europe gave twenty pounds each. It is, after
all, only the price of four professional football-players...
And since we are in the domain of dreams, let us be even more radical:
A
Metropolitan Seminary for Western Europe
Any
Local Church, however small, must have a place where its future clergy,
catechists and choir-directors can be trained. This must be a practical
seminary, not an academic institution. The Church needs priests, deacons,
readers, choir directors, singers and catechists, not academics and philosophers.
In this field, Western European countries cannot work in isolation, but
together with each other, for national numbers are too small. A Metropolia
of Western Europe must have a central, international seminary.
Quite
seriously, we suggest that this should be in England. Others would no
doubt prefer to see such a seminary elsewhere in Western Europe. Paris
or Munich might be more obvious choices. Though England may be 'off-centre',
it does however have some very international advantages.
First
of all, when we say England, we are thinking of the advantage of the English
language, which, like it or not, is the international language. It is
the only language which is widely spoken by all Orthodox, students and
professors, East and West. Let us be honest: English is the language which
Orthodox clergy and laity, Lebanese with Serb, Polish with Greek, Cypriot
with Russian, Latvian with Czech, Romanian with Bulgarian, Georgian with
Finnish, French with German, Portuguese with Swedish, Italian with Dutch,
use in order to communicate with one another.
Secondly,
when we say England, we mean London, and not external university towns
like Oxford and Cambridge, which are too academic for a practical seminary
and also far too provincial, inasmuch as they are cut off and without
large Orthodox populations, like cosmopolitan London, and only have tiny
Orthodox parishes.
Thirdly,
London is an excellent transport hub, with low cost flights to Europe
and the Eurostar connection, linking it to Paris and Brussels in less
than three hours.
What
should such a Metropolitan Orthodox Seminary (MOS) have?
1.
Any seminary should be centred around a church. The other buildings, living
accommodation, classrooms, canteen, library etc should be set around the
church and the daily cycle of services, with, if possible, monastic leanings.
If there were the clergy, students and teachers to do so, the languages
of the services could change from one day to the next, say, from Greek
to Slavonic, Romanian to English, French to German over six days, and
on Sundays to a mixture of languages. Obviously, such a mixture would
depend on entirely on whom was present. If the students were all Slavs
and Romanians, there would be little point in such a mixture, but another
combination would be suitable instead.
2.
The main teaching language should be English, simply because this would
be the most convenient tool. But each nationality present should have
access to a teacher from his own country. Moreover, there should be an
insistence on a thorough grounding in languages: firstly, in English (if
not already known) as the teaching language, secondly, in an 'Orthodox
language' (if not already known), like Greek, Russian, Serb or Romanian,
and, thirdly, if need be, in the language of the country where the seminarian
would later serve (again, if not already known).
3.
The library should contain Orthodox literature in every European language
possible, especially in 'Orthodox languages' like Greek, Russian, Romanian,
Arabic, Serb, Bulgarian and Georgian. In particular, it should make a
point of obtaining all available liturgical texts in all European languages.
It should also hold particular resources on early Western European history
and the Lives of Western saints, including copies of their icons and services.
The library should make a point of containing not only Orthodox books
in many languages, but also videos, DVDs and should have a large computer
facility.
4.
Suitable staff accommodation should be provided on site and adequate funding
(through interest earned from ethical investments) to pay staff a suitable
salary, without overlooking the provision of a large number of bursaries
for seminarians, so that they could study without having to take part-time
jobs in order to survive.
5.
The seminary should ensure that all seminarians are linked with Orthodox
parishes in London, so that their training would be as practical as possible.
6.
Links should be established with Orthodox Theological Academies in Eastern
Europe and Universities in Western Europe, so that seminarians who wished
to do doctorates (the seminary should offer degrees up to masters level)
could do so.
The
price? Perhaps twenty-five million pounds to build and fund. But you could
build it and fund it if every baptized Orthodox in Western Europe gave
five pounds each. It is, after all, only the price of one professional
football-player...
Conclusion:
A Dream for £25.
Of
course, these are all dreams. But one day someone may say: 'It was all
dreams then, but now it exists'. If men strive and it is God's will, then
all this can happen.
For
those of a practical turn of mind - and that is no bad thing - but who
would like to see it all happen one day, we attach our translation (from
the original Romanian) of an Akathist to all the Saints of Western Europe,
to whom we can at least pray for the fulfilment of such a vision, that
the past may fulfil the future via the present - us. I earnestly hope
that this Akathist will be translated into many other European languages
and, if it is the will of God, that by their holy prayers, dreams may
one day become reality.
Akathist to all the Saints that shone forth in the lands of the West
Kontakion 1
Now
let us praise, as is meet, all the saints that in times of old shone forth
in the lands of the West, enlightening these parts through their sufferings
and struggles. And let us sing to them, as to those that unceasingly pray
for us before God, saying: Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of
the West confessed the true faith!
Ikos
1
The
most holy name of our Saviour hath been glorified wondrously in you, O
saints of the West. For, beholding your holy life and deeds for salvation,
the peoples of the West learned how to worship the True God and honour
you with joy, saying:
Rejoice,
apostles and martyrs, monks and bishops, for ye are the praise and joy
of all
the West!
Rejoice, for ye above all are the most precious fruit of these lands!
Rejoice, for your holy blood washed away all heathen defilement!
Rejoice, for through teachings full of power ye delivered the people from
ignorance!
Rejoice, for in the darkness of those times ye shone forth like most radiant
beacons of light!
Rejoice, for before the whole world ye were shown to be true guides to
the path of salvation!
Rejoice, for in this way ye became fathers in Christ to all the peoples
of the West!
Rejoice, for even to this day ye pray unceasingly for us in the heavens!
Rejoice, for ye above all are the strong hope of these places!
Rejoice, for ye are the boast of all the faithful of the West!
Rejoice, for ye teach us how to give true honour to God!
Rejoice, for ye call the whole West to repentance and turn back to God!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
2
The
lands of the West were also counted worthy to receive the wonderful Apostles
of God, that with unquenchable zeal everywhere preached the Gospel of
salvation. And through them the peoples of the West were born in Christ
for the first time, and began to sing to Him as to the true God: Alleluia!
Ikos
2
The
Holy Apostles made themselves enlighteners of the West through their untiring
labours. For they put at naught the dark powers of the enemy and fearlessly
spread the light of Christ in all places. And therefore they confessed
the truth even unto blood and became worthy to hear from the mouths of
all songs of praise like these:
Rejoice,
Apostles of Christ, that strove to bring the Gospel to the lands of the
West!
Rejoice, for ye above all others are the fathers and protectors of these
places!
Rejoice, therefore, Holy Peter and Paul, Princes of the Apostles, for
ye founded the first Church in the West!
Rejoice, for through you pagan Rome began to offer pure sacrifice to the
True God!
Rejoice, for ye were shown to be fearless before all the terrors and persecutions
of the unbelievers!
Rejoice, for at the end ye sealed your faith in Christ even with your
own blood!
Rejoice, Holy Apostle James, son of Zebedee, who hast enlightened the
Spanish lands!
Rejoice, for thy relics rest in these parts to this day, bringing great
comfort to all!
Rejoice, thou too, Holy Apostle Simon the Zealot, who brought the faith
in the Risen Christ to Britain!
Rejoice, for like all the other Apostles thou too didst receive death
for eternal life!
Rejoice, Holy Aristobulus, who followed Saint Simon in preaching!
Rejoice, for thou didst become the first bishop of Britain and witness
of Christ!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
3
The
Apostles of God left worthy disciples and followers in the places they
enlightened, and they were in nothing less than their fathers, but in
all things followed them in labour and zeal. For by the example of their
lives they delivered the heathen from idolatry and brought them to venerate
the One True God, teaching them to sing to Him unceasingly: Alleluia!
Ikos
3
Now
let us all sing with one voice to all those that were worthy to become
followers of the Holy Apostles, furthering their work and hallowing the
lands of the West through their teachings and blood; and let us all say
to them, as to those who even to this day pray for us before the throne
of God, words of praise like these:
Rejoice,
all ye who have shown yourselves to be wonderful disciples of the disciples
of Christ!
Rejoice, for alongside your fathers ye struggled fervently for the enlightenment
of the West!
Rejoice, therefore, among all, Holy Clement, for the prince of the Apostles
consecrated thee bishop of Rome!
Rejoice, for thou didst shepherd the flock entrusted to thee with great
wisdom and worthiness!
Rejoice also, Holy Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, for thou too didst receive
consecration from the hands of Saint Peter!
Rejoice, thou bearer of God, for thy writings greatly console us to this
day!
Rejoice, for thy glorious martyrdom is for all an example of manliness
and courage in the face of death!
Rejoice, thou too, Holy Justin lover of wisdom, for through thy writings
thou didst arouse the wrath of the enemies of Christ!
Rejoice, for not suffering thy divine wisdom, they martyred thee in the
arenas of Rome!
Rejoice, also, Holy Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon, who from Asia Minor came
to enlighten the lands of Gaul!
Rejoice, for through thy divinely-inspired writings, thou didst ceaselessly
fight against all heresies!
Rejoice, for on account of this, all Christians honour thee as a great
Pillar and Father of the Church!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
4
Now
let us offer songs of praise to all those that in the lands of the West
suffered for Christ even unto blood, and with their manliness trampled
down death; and to God, Who strengthened them in torments and tortures
beyond all imagination, let us all unceasingly sing thus: Alleluia!
Ikos
4
With
joy ye shed your blood for Christ, O venerable martyrs, and to Him ye
offered yourselves as a well-received sacrifice. And seeing your ineffable
patience, the peoples of the West understood that the God of Glory Himself
dwelt within you, and marvelling at such a thing, with faith began to
sing to you thus:
Rejoice,
Tatiana and Anastasia, together with Sophia and her three daughters!
Rejoice, Cecilia and Agnes, who showed yourselves women unequalled in
courage!
Rejoice, Laurence, the archdeacon, together with Sebastian, the glorious
martyr of Christ!
Rejoice, good victors, for through your ineffable passions ye hallowed
pagan Rome!
Rejoice, all ye who filled all the lands of the West with your struggles!
Rejoice, Agatha and Lucy, praised martyrs, for in Italy ye fought the
good fight!
Rejoice, Valentine and Januarius, enlightened bishops, for ye sealed your
teaching with blood!
Rejoice, Cyprian, the hierarch, together with Perpetua and Felicity and
all those that laid down their lives for Christ in the African lands!
Rejoice, Maurice, wonderful martyr, for alongside thy soldiers thou didst
fearlessly stand up to death in the Swiss lands!
Rejoice, Vincent, the deacon, for thou didst hallow Spain through thine
unimaginable torments!
Rejoice, Alban, valiant warrior, for thou didst offer thyself as the first
pure sacrifice of Britain to the true God!
Rejoice, Ursula, bride of Christ, who with thy blood washed the German
lands!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
5
As
the enemy of our salvation saw that he could not defeat the faith of the
disciples of Christ through tortures and persecutions beyond compare,
he sent against them hosts of deceitful teachers and shepherds, who with
treachery would lead the faithful into delusion. But against them stood
up wise Fathers, great both in word and deed, who with the wisdom of the
Holy Spirit overcame all heresy and taught the people to give true honour
to God, saying: Alleluia!
Ikos
5
Now
let us praise with joy all the fearless confessors of the Orthodox Faith,
who fought valiantly for the truth in the lands of the West and rooted
out all lies from among the people through their holy struggles and deeds;
and let us sing to them as to true chosen ones of the All-Merciful God,
saying:
Rejoice,
Holy Hosius of Cordoba, for thou didst preside the First Council of the
whole world!
Rejoice, Holy Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, for thou too didst fearlessly
defend the true faith!
Rejoice, for on account of this thou didst suffer countless persecutions
at the hands of the Arian blasphemers!
Rejoice, holy Ambrose, for thou didst rule over the city of Milan with
thy divine wisdom!
Rejoice, for with thy words and writings thou didst turn the throngs to
Christ!
Rejoice, also, Blessed Augustine, for through the prayers of thy mother
Monica, God turned thee back from the path of perdition!
Rejoice, for thou didst become a wise bishop and great fighter against
heretics!
Rejoice, Jerome, thou blessed man, for through thy many writings thou
didst enlighten the lands of the West!
Rejoice, Holy Leo, Pope of Rome, for at the Council of Chalcedon thou
didst wonderfully fight for the Orthodox Faith!
Rejoice, for having godly light, thou didst unfailingly guide the people
entrusted to thee on the path of salvation!
Rejoice, Holy Martin, fearless Pope, for together with Saint Maximus thou
didst confess the truth unto death!
Rejoice, for with joy thou didst suffer for the true faith all the torments
of the impious emperor!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
6
The
times of dread persecution ended through Divine Providence, but martyrdom
for Christ did not. For those that had up until then visibly shed their
blood for the faith, began to suffer for it invisibly, through fasting
and tears crucifying all their sinful desires and lusts. On account of
this, they made themselves even like unto angels in the flesh, learning
to offer to God unceasing praise: Alleluia!
Ikos
6
The
lands of the West also gave birth to men and women perfect in holiness,
who by their struggles beyond nature won the everlasting joys of heaven,
making themselves to all an unlying example on the path of salvation.
Let us therefore honour first those that shone forth in the land of Gaul,
establishing the monastic life in these parts, and let us joyfully say
to them thus:
Rejoice,
Holy Martin, for of all Western people, thou wast the first to be deigned
to taste of the sweetness of monastic life!
Rejoice, for following thine example, throngs of the faithful chose to
forsake the fleeting glory of this world!
Rejoice, for shining with the gift of wonderworking, thou didst become
Bishop of Tours and the great protector of the West!
Rejoice, Holy John Cassian, for together with thy friend Germanus, thou
didst drink of the wisdom of the desert Fathers!
Rejoice, for through thy wonderful writings, thou didst make thyself the
true founder of monastic life in the West!
Rejoice, Holy Honoratus, for on the isle of Lerins thou didst found Gaul’s
most famed monastery!
Rejoice, for countless numbers of saints strove there for salvation, turning
Gaul into the Thebaid of the West!
Rejoice, therefore, together with Hilary and Eucherius, with Vincent and
Ceasarius and many other holy monks!
Rejoice, also Holy Gregory of Tours, for thou too didst ceaselessly strive
for the fame of the saints of thy lands!
Rejoice, thou too, Holy Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, who through thy gifts
enlightened both Britain and Gaul!
Rejoice, Blessed Saint Genevieve, for from childhood thou didst yearn
to live as an anchoress!
Rejoice, for thou didst proved thyself a most-powerful protectress of
Paris through thy holy prayers!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
7
Springing
up from the lands of Gaul as from a clear and fresh fountain, monastic
life spread everywhere in the West; and in each nation it bore fruit in
holy monks full of virtue, who with pure voices and hearts of praise sang
to God for themselves and for the whole world: Alleluia!
Ikos
7
Now
let us all praise with one voice those that strove for Christ in the lands
of Britain and Italy, and through their struggles made themselves enlightened
apostles of these lands and fathers of monastic life in these places;
and let us sing to them as to most wonderful victors in the struggle against
the powers of the enemy, saying thus:
Rejoice,
Holy Ninian, for it was at Saint Martin’s feet that thou didst learn
all the secrets of monastic life!
Rejoice, for perfecting thyself in holiness thou didst become the enlightener
of thy home, the land of the Picts!
Rejoice, Holy Patrick, wonderful apostle, for by thy divine zeal thou
didst turn the Irish land to God!
Rejoice, for in this way thou didst make thyself the father of the Irish
people, for whom thou prayest fervently to this day!
Rejoice, for countless disciples followed thee on the path of holiness!
Rejoice, among them all, blessed Brigid, for by thine unutterable love
thou didst become the mother of all Ireland!
Rejoice, thou also, Holy David, wise bishop, for in Wales thou didst establish
countless monasteries!
Rejoice, for on account of this the Welsh revere thee to this day as their
protector before God!
Rejoice, Holy Benedict, great struggler, for the land of Italy was enlightened
by thine unearthly life!
Rejoice, for through thy wonderful Rule thou didst become a true father
to all the monks of the West!
Rejoice, Holy Alexis, Man of God, for in the city of Rome thou didst live
in utter meekness!
Rejoice, for on account of thy many gifts the whole world cherisheth thee
as a great saint!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
8
The
enemy of our salvation could not bear that all the peoples of the West,
as with one voice, raised up songs of praise to the True God, and therefore
he set on them waves of savage and heathen peoples, who in their cruelty
passed all through fire and sword. But in those times of great suffering,
enlightened preachers rose up in the West, in nothing less than the first
Apostles. And through their burning zeal, they turned the temptation of
the enemy into heavenly blessing and brought the heathen to Christ, teaching
them to sing to Him as to One God: Alleluia!
Ikos
8
Now
let us praise all those that among the Franks earned Heaven by their struggles
and through their zeal turned many back to Christ. For shining with heavenly
gifts, they enlightened the people and wisely guided them to salvation;
and therefore they are deigned to hear from the mouths of all songs of
praise like these:
Rejoice,
Holy Remigius, wonderful archbishop, for thou wast the first Apostle of
the Franks!
Rejoice, for inflamed by holy zeal thou didst baptize Clovis, the King
of the Franks, together with many heathen!
Rejoice, Holy Clotilde, holy woman, for through thy tears thou didst bring
thy husband to Christ!
Rejoice, for together with Saints Radegund and Bathild, thou didst set
all a true example of a Christian wife and Queen!
Rejoice, Holy Germanus, Bishop of Paris, for thy generosity made thee
known as the father of the poor!
Rejoice, for thou didst shine forth before the whole world with thy great
gentleness and kindness!
Rejoice, Holy Eligius, skilled smith, for thy love tamed the heathen hearts
of stone!
Rejoice, for becoming Bishop of Noyon, thou didst turn countless savage
Teutons back to Christ!
Rejoice, Holy Amandus, who in the Netherlands preached the Christian faith!
Rejoice, Holy Lambert, for together with thy disciple Hubert, thou too
didst strive to enlighten these places!
Rejoice, Holy Leger, valiant bishop, for thou didst not waver in reproving
the wrong-doings of the king and his subjects!
Rejoice, for on account of this thou wast tormented in all ways, and at
the end received a martyr’s death!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
9
Seeing
themselves overwhelmed by the heathen throngs, the shepherds of the West
wisely decided to go and conquer them for Christ. Therefore they sent
men enlightened by God and perfect in virtue, who through their valiant
struggles defeated the darkness of heathenism and became fathers in Christ
to many nations, together with whom they ceaselessly sang to God the song:
Alleluia!
Ikos
9
Through
Gregory, the wonderful Pope of Rome, and Augustine, the faithful monk,
the English were the first of the Germanic peoples to be born to new life
and offer to Christ a host of saints as a pure sacrifice. Now let us sing
joyfully to them, as to those that made themselves worthy of the Kingdom
of Heaven and the veneration of the whole world, saying to them thus:
Rejoice,
thou first, Holy Gregory, great Patriarch, for in perfect wisdom thou
didst shepherd the lands of the West!
Rejoice, for burning with zeal for Christ, thou didst strive to bring
the heathen peoples to the Faith!
Rejoice, for on account of this thou didst send Saint Augustine to preach,
and together with him thou art to this day called the Apostle of the English!
Rejoice, Holy Augustine, for thou didst bring the English nation to Christ,
baptizing their king, Ethelbert!
Rejoice, for becoming Archbishop of Canterbury, together with thy disciples
thou wast the first to bring the light of Christ to the English land!
Rejoice, Paulinus, Birinus and Felix, wonderful apostles, for ye became
fathers in Christ of the English!
Rejoice, Sigebert, Edwin and Oswald, martyr kings, who defended the Christian
faith unto blood!
Rejoice, Aidan, Chad and Botolph, pious fathers, for in the English lands
ye established monastic life!
Rejoice, Theodore, Wilfrid and John, most wise bishops, for through you
the English Church was filled with glory!
Rejoice, Audrey, Hilda and Mildred, holy nuns, for by your strivings ye
outran by far many men!
Rejoice, among all the English saints, Cuthbert, great wonderworker, and
Guthlac, father of the desert!
Rejoice, thou too, wise and Venerable Bede, for thou didst devote all
thy life to the Holy Scriptures!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
10
The
Spanish lands also made themselves worthy of great preachers and bishops,
who by their unceasing struggles brought the heathen to Christ and turned
the heretics to the true faith, calling all to give glory and praise to
the True God and ever sing to Him in thanksgiving: Alleluia!
Ikos
10
Now
let us rightly honour, as is meet, all those that in Spain wondrously
confessed the true faith of Christ our Savior and for it fought unto death.
And let us offer them songs of praise, as to those that scattered the
darkness of lies and made the truth victorious, joyfully saying to them
thus:
Rejoice,
Holy Martin, Archbishop of Braga, for through thy zeal thou didst bring
the Sueves to the true faith!
Rejoice, for on account of this thou art to this day reckoned as the enlightener
and father of these places!
Rejoice, Holy Hermenegild, for thou wast the first of the Visigoths to
confess the Orthodox Faith!
Rejoice, for on account of this thou didst even suffer death, setting
at naught thy father, the heretical king!
Rejoice, Holy Leander, for through thy labours the Visigoths abandoned
the Arian heresy!
Rejoice, for becoming Bishop of Seville, thou didst wisely strive for
the best in thy flock!
Rejoice, for in this thou wast helped by thy brother and sister, Saints
Fulgentius and Florence!
Rejoice, thou too, Holy Isidore, for thou wast the fourth and most honoured
child of this holy family!
Rejoice, for thou didst succeed thy brother to the see of Seville, proving
to be an undeceiving guide on the path of salvation!
Rejoice, for through thy countless writings thou didst enlighten the world
and to this day art revered as a Father!
Rejoice, Holy Ildephonsus, Archbishop of Toledo, for thou didst show thyself
to be a true disciple of Saint Isidore and a wise shepherd!
Rejoice, for burning with love for the Most Pure Mother of God, thou didst
defend in writing her eternal virginity!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
11
The
light of Christ shone forth even in the unfriendly lands of the Teutons,
for the God of glory called all the nations to Himself. Therefore, now
let us sing to Him Who in His ineffable mercy redeemed mankind from corruption
and let us worship Him as the Only God, saying: Alleluia!
Ikos
11
Now
let us praise, as is meet, the wondrous preachers that rose up from among
the Irish and the English, who enlightened many peoples and through their
wisdom and zeal showed themselves to be one in honour with the Holy Apostles,
and let us sing to them, as to those that brought to Christ a great harvest
of heathen people, saying to them thus:
Rejoice,
thou first, Holy Columba, wonderful son of Eire, for through thy zeal
thou didst enlighten the lands of the Scots!
Rejoice, for by founding the famed monastery of Iona, thou didst become
an Apostle and father to the heathen Picts!
Rejoice, thou too, Holy Columban, for leaving Ireland, thou didst become
a fearless preacher to many nations!
Rejoice, for thou didst found many monasteries in the West, setting in
them a rule according to the teachings of the desert fathers!
Rejoice, for fearlessly thou didst reprove the evil deeds of unworthy
bishops and kings, suffering for this countless persecutions!
Rejoice, Holy Gall, for thou wast deigned to be a disciple of Saint Columban
and the beloved Apostle of the Swiss!
Rejoice, thou too, Holy Clement, most wise Englishman, for thou didst
preach Christ among the savage heathen!
Rejoice, for on account of thy burning zeal, thou bearest to this day
the title of Apostle of the Frisians!
Rejoice, Holy Boniface, for together with Saint Clement thou didst bring
the Gospel to the lands of the Germans!
Rejoice, for through thee and thy holy disciples, God foreordained to
bring to Himself all the German peoples!
Rejoice, for with the blessing of the holy Pope Zacharias, thou didst
strive to correct the impieties of the Franks!
Rejoice, for thou didst crown thy holy labours with the crown of martyrdom,
which thou didst receive in great old age!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
12
The
dreaded Northmen were the last fruit which the faithful people of the
West brought to the True God. For being enlightened with the true faith,
the Viking nations began to worship our Saviour Christ with zeal, singing
to Him in a sweet voice: Alleluia!
Ikos
12
Now
let us honour with praises all those that shone forth in the West in the
times near the end and through their struggles made themselves the heirs
of Heaven. For some even suffered martyrdom for Christ, while others fearlessly
preached Him among the heathen. Therefore, let even us offer them honour,
as is meet, singing to them thus:
Rejoice,
all ye that in the Iberian lands suffered death at the hands of the unfaithful
Hagarenes!
Rejoice, among them, Eulogius and George, for together with many others
ye hallowed the city of Cordoba by your blood!
Rejoice, all those that in the Irish and English lands suffered martyrdom
at the hands of the savage Vikings!
Rejoice, for on account of your sacrifice, God turned the people that
persecuted you to believe in Him!
Rejoice, among all the new martyrs, Edmund, glorious king, for through
thy sufferings thou didst become the great defender and patron of the
English land!
Rejoice, Holy Anschar, for thou wast the first to preach Christ among
the heathen Danes!
Rejoice, for thou didst become Bishop of Hamburg and to this day art revered
as the Apostle of the North!
Rejoice, thou too, Holy Olaf, valiant warrior, for being Viking by blood,
thou didst offer thyself as a pure sacrifice to God!
Rejoice, for thou didst become the Christian King of Norway, slaughtered
by the heathen for thine unwavering faith!
Rejoice, Holy Sigfrid, for through thy struggles thou didst enlighten
the Swedish land and turn the heathen king to Christ!
Rejoice, Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, for thy wisdom and kindness
made thee the much beloved father of the whole English land!
Rejoice, for thou didst anoint as king Saint Edward, the innocent martyr,
whose relics bring comfort to Orthodox Christians to this day!
Rejoice, all ye Saints, that in the lands of the West confessed the true
faith!
Kontakion
13
Now
let us sing with songs of thanksgiving to God, Who called forth His Saints
from all over the Earth and gathered His beloved from the ends of the
world, to Him, Who is glorified in the Holy Trinity. For through His chosen
one, Saint John the Wonderworker, He hath revealed to us the ancient saints
of the West for our joy and comfort in these latter days. For all these
things, therefore, and for all His goodness towards us, let us thank Him
as our most beloved God, and let us worship Him with voices of praise,
saying to Him: Alleluia!
This
Kontakion is to be read three times.
And then again Ikos 1: The most holy name of our Saviour... and Kontakion
1: Now
let us praise, as is meet,...
Then
this:
Prayer to all the Saints that shone forth in the lands of the
West
O
ye saints of the West, that in times of old confessed the true faith of
our Saviour Christ and for it fought even unto death, thus making yourselves
worthy of heavenly glory and heirs of everlasting life! Now do we, your
unworthy successors, fall to our knees before you, and humbly beg you:
as ye have boldly interceded for us before the throne of God unto this
day, so from this time on do ye pray, O our beloved saints, for all the
lands of the West! Pray that the Merciful and Long-Suffering God grant
them forgiveness of sins and correction of life, and turn them, through
His judgements, to repentance and the true faith for which ye sacrificed
yourselves.
Again
we pray unto you, O saints, for all the right believing faithful of the
West who have need of your help and mercy: protect us with your prayers
from all the temptations that befall us; strengthen us in the true faith
and grant us zeal to preach it; guard us from all the wickedness of enemies
seen and unseen; and show us victorious before the unfaithful, for the
glory of God and for your honour. That through you, O saints of the West,
the true faith may once again shine forth in the West with power, as it
shone forth in times of old, and that the light of Christ may enlighten
all.
And
thus, O ye saints, who through Divine Providence have shown yourselves
to us in these latter days, receive us also, as the workers of the eleventh
hour, for your veneration. And pray for us, who unworthily sing unto you
songs of praise, that our God, Who easily forgiveth, make us also partakers
of heavenly bliss, granting us salvation, as the God Who is Good and loveth
mankind. That thus, together with you, beloved saints of the West, we
may sing unto Him and worship Him as the All-Merciful God, the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
(Composed by Vlad Benea. Translation by Calina Gavrea and Fr Andrew)
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