Akathist to the Holy Glorious Martyr and Right-believing King Archil
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things with Thy grace, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (Thrice).
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest: For Thine is the kingdom…
Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of thy compassions blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of mine iniquity; and my sin is continually before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil before thee: that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. For, behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me. For, behold, thou lovest truth: thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be purified: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. Thou shalt cause me to hear gladness and joy: the afflicted bones shall rejoice. Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my inward parts. Cast me not away from thy presence; and remove not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation: establish me with thy directing Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and ungodly men shall turn to thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue shall joyfully declare thy righteousness. O Lord, thou shalt open my lips; and my mouth shall declare thy praise. For if thou desiredst sacrifice, I would have given it: thou wilt not take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings. Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, to Sion in thy good pleasure; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.
To the first martyr among kings and renowned warrior, the chosen one of Christ, the glorious Archil, courageous and invincible, we offer thee this praise in thanksgiving and entreat thee: as thou didst promise us at the time of thine end, be the helper and protector of those who praise thee in faith: Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
Thou didst open the door of thy martyrdom, O light-clad martyr of Christ the Deliverer, and didst make a way for the course of the kings who followed, along which, with fearless minds, the valiant Demetrius and Luarsab went out like giants to run; with these pious kings and the choirs of martyrs thou hast appeared as a full partaker, and with joy thou enlightenest our hearts, who flee to thee and offer thee this hymn:
Rejoice, strength and glory of the sceptre of kings; rejoice, all-radiant champion of truth; rejoice, pillar of the right faith reaching to heaven; rejoice, fearless soldier of the Saviour, conqueror of unbelieving enemies; rejoice, blossoming branch of piety and holiness; rejoice, thou who sweetly bearest the divine yoke; rejoice, strengthener of the Christ-loving army; rejoice, rational adamant of patience; rejoice, thou who by firm faith didst expose the ungodliness of tyrants; rejoice, leader of the Georgian people; rejoice, uncaptured gate of the Church of Iberia; rejoice, glory and strength of our fatherland; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
When the lawless Marwan the Deaf overran all the Caucasus and destroyed most of the fortresses of the borders of Kartli, then ye, the kings of Kartli, withdrew to Abkhazia and stood firm in the fortress of Anakopia, where ye came and fell down in faith before the icon of the all-holy Theotokos not made by hands, and asking for mercy ye sent up the voice of divine praise: Alleluia.
O amazing courage and valour and the hand of the Lord! For in that night an angel of the Lord appeared to thee and made known that He had sent a fierce destroying plague upon those lawless enemies of yours, and commanded you to attack them; then ye went out with hope in God and by His power put to shame those wicked Hagarenes; therefore we make bold to sing to thee:
Rejoice, thou who didst spring from God-fearing parents; rejoice, thou who wast enlightened by the benefaction of grace; rejoice, thou chosen for firmness and courage; rejoice, thou who boastest in Orthodoxy; rejoice, thou who wast sent as shepherd and struggler for a people chosen as sons of God; rejoice, thou who wast revealed by valiant struggle and the godliness of martyrdom; rejoice, thou who didst shine forth for the comfort of the Church and the adornment of Iberia; rejoice, thou who art adorned in the choir of martyrs; rejoice, thou who art glorified in heaven and on earth; rejoice, thou who art called a wall and guardian of the Church; rejoice, thou who art adorned with the twofold crown of kingship and martyrdom; rejoice, thou who art ever remembered by the Iberians; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
When the emperor of the Greeks was told what had been done by God through your hand, he remembered the nobility of your illustrious parents, and with joy sending two glorious crowns, he impartially glorified the courage of your soul and the wisdom of your mind: Alleluia.
When thy brother, King Mir, grew grievously ill even unto death from the wound he received in that battle, he told thee where your father had buried the royal treasury, and entrusted to thee the kingdom of Kartli and his daughters; and thou, made wise in spirit, didst give thy nieces in marriage to the eristavis of Kartli and by the mercy of God didst reign in peace for a long time; therefore thou art praised with hymns by the faithful:
Rejoice, thou who didst make the seeds of Christ’s Gospel grow within thee; rejoice, thou who didst root out the multitude of passions like tares; rejoice, builder of churches and monasteries; rejoice, thou who through repentance movest sinners to prayer; rejoice, deliverer of those seized by many trials and surrounded by cares; rejoice, overthrower of destroyers of souls; rejoice, smiter of the blasphemers of the cross of Christ; rejoice, planter of honour and courage; rejoice, thou who by the true faith didst destroy falsehood; rejoice, conqueror of raging God-haters; rejoice, thou who blessest those who rise up in faith, hope and love; rejoice, thou who greatly lovest the Orthodox warriors and armies alone; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
When a lawless, fierce, savage and bloodthirsty race rose against thy people, then thou, good shepherd, didst resolve to lay down thyself and thy life for the deliverance of the Christians, and trusting in the true God and heavenly King, thou didst stand before the merciless Asim and ask peace for thy land; therefore give strength to our feebly speaking tongue to praise thy struggle: Alleluia.
Then the crafty one began to speak with flattery, for he promised thee many gifts and called thee to forsake the law of Christ and become a Saracen; but thou, valiant soldier of God, didst sign thyself with the sign of the precious cross and boldly preach Christ God before the lawless tyrants; therefore according to our strength we offer thee praise:
Rejoice, thou who didst keep the nobility of thy soul; rejoice, thou who didst set thy hope on God; rejoice, thou who by wisdom of spirit didst courageously endure fierce torments; rejoice, thou who didst plant the love of Christ among men; rejoice, thou who didst quench the furnace of afflictions and sorrows; rejoice, candle that enlightenest the wise and burnest the foolish; rejoice, thou who by divine boldness didst destroy ungodly teachings; rejoice, thou who didst hold back the wrath of God; rejoice, thou who by faith didst calm those carried away by insolence; rejoice, thou who didst cast down those exalted in pride; rejoice, thou who tramplest on evil thoughts; rejoice, thou who bringest to understanding those blinded by godlessness and lawlessness; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
The words of the false prophet did not trouble thy mind, for thou didst stand firm in the faith and seek death for Christ: “If I obey thee, I shall die the death and be tormented for ever; but if thou killest me, I shall rise like our God and be glorified with Him” – thus didst thou speak, and to Christ who strengthened thee thou didst sing sweetly: Alleluia.
When that arena of courage and reward of incorruptible victory was prepared for thee by divine providence, then with love of wisdom thou didst wisely resolve to exchange kingship for martyrdom, didst despise temptation and cast down the pride of that lawless Chichnaum by the courage of thy nature. So now also cast down the treachery of our enemy and heal the many wounds of the Georgian people, that we may be saved in love and peace and cry:
Rejoice, all-radiant boast of the faith; rejoice, dwelling of true struggle; rejoice, sword that cuttest off the tares of the delusion of Muhammad; rejoice, thou tried sevenfold like pure gold; rejoice, thou who didst gain the crown of victory; rejoice, beautiful rose of the heavenly garden; rejoice, branch of the vine of Christ that didst bear the fruit of martyrdom; rejoice, pattern of the divine army; rejoice, shield that guardest piety; rejoice, sword that cuttest off impiety; rejoice, unbending wall of piety and of the Church; rejoice, thou who assuagest the wounds of our sins; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
When the lawless one heard all this and saw thine unchanging firmness, he marvelled greatly and commanded that thou be seized and cast into prison, that he might turn thee by many kinds of torment; but thou didst give wings to thy mind towards God, and cooled by divine grace, like the youths of old in the furnace, thou didst bless the Lord in song, O glorious one: Alleluia.
When thou wast shut up in prison by the lawless, thou didst not fear the deceiving enemy, but didst shatter the bow and arrows of the demons by fervent prayer and stop the poisonous tongue of the godless heathen by divine power; and now deliver us from the wiles and delusions of the crafty devil, who desireth our perdition, that we Georgians who praise thee may rejoice with thee for ever:
Rejoice, preacher of the glory of God; rejoice, thou who didst expose the delusion of the Hagarenes by victory; rejoice, thou who didst bear good fruit and puttest all the wicked and slothful to shame; rejoice, comforter of the confessors of Christ; rejoice, thou who puttest to shame those who glorify evil and the heretics; rejoice, fellow-fighter and protector of the Orthodox warriors alone; rejoice, thou who turnest men from love of temporal and swiftly passing pleasures; rejoice, thou who with the weapon of thy words didst wound the tormentors; rejoice, thou who didst destroy the designs of Belial; rejoice, thou who grantest honour to the faithful; rejoice, thou who makest the double-minded tremble and humblest them; rejoice, thou who exaltest this Georgian race too with surpassing joy; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
Then a certain prince of Gardabani, who had become a Saracen, was filled with the malice of the devil, like Judas the betrayer of old, and told Asim that thou wast the son of Stephen and a kinsman of the great King Vakhtang and of Mirian, and said with guile: “He also knoweth where his father buried the royal treasury”; but thou didst shatter all the snares of the enemy by the power of the spirit and sing the hosanna of victory: Alleluia.
Filled with divine wisdom thou didst say to the tyrants: “I was small in age when my father and my brother hid the treasures in that fortress; but I will not forsake my God, nor sell that unfading glory for this swiftly passing one”, and thou didst put to shame and undo every temptation of the crafty; therefore our people rejoiceth that thou didst spring up in it, and crieth to thee thus:
Rejoice, thou who by thy struggle didst make the Church of Christ radiant; rejoice, thou who didst enlighten our darkened mind; rejoice, healer of those wounded by invisible archers; rejoice, thou who plainly enlightenest the souls of the faithful; rejoice, thou who by divine grace makest the ignorant wise; rejoice, thou who inclinest in mercy to those who entreat thee and givest courage to those who trust in thee; rejoice, thou who didst scatter the darkness of godlessness; rejoice, thou who stretchest out thy hand to widows and requitest those who wrong them; rejoice, advocate and benefactor of the poor; rejoice, protector of all the wronged and oppressed; rejoice, destroyer of unjust judgements; rejoice, deliverer from the bonds of our sins; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
Again the foolish one asked: “Wast thou then present at the fall of the Saracens in Abkhazia?” And thou, made radiant by the fire of faith, didst say thus: “I was there when God cast them down”, and didst sing aloud to the Creator of all: Alleluia.
When the tyrant heard thy wise words, he was filled with great wrath and said to thee: “What god cast down the Saracens?” And an answer before the tyrants was given thee abundantly by the Spirit of the Father, and thou didst say thus: “The living God, who is the Creator of heaven and earth, He it is who cast them down and humbled them”, and thou didst expose their error; therefore all we who are gathered praise thee, the valiant soldier of Christ armed with the cross:
Rejoice, thou who didst seal the divine commandments in thy heart; rejoice, thou who didst endure manifold torments in the nature of corruptible flesh; rejoice, thou who calmest sorrows and trials; rejoice, thou who castest down our oppressors; rejoice, deliverer from every unjust malice; rejoice, deliverer of many souls; rejoice, banisher of unclean spirits; rejoice, thou who by thy struggle didst adorn the borders of Kartli; rejoice, thou who turnest our sorrows into joy; rejoice, thou who breakest the power of the visible and invisible enemy; rejoice, feeder of the hungry and clother of the naked; rejoice, helper and advocate of those who do the will of Christ; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
Then that senseless one was enraged and said: “He whose god is mortal and who hath his hope of life in a mortal must himself die”, and he gave command to the swordsmen to kill the soldier of Christ by cutting off his head; but thou, O holy one, didst commend thy soul and thy kingdom to the Lord with hope, and with pious boldness didst ask the gift of healing the sick; therefore we offer thee the voice of divine praise: Alleluia.
Though thou wast led there bound, O valiant king, thou didst not lament like a captive, but with joy didst bow thy head to the executioners and set out on the path of the saints; for thou didst count death and suffering as joy, and like thy Deliverer didst hasten to the struggles even unto death, which thou didst attain and stand before God; and now, adorned with a twofold crown, thou art the protector of all who flee to thee and sing with longing:
Rejoice, thou who didst take upon thee pain and death; rejoice, thou who didst endure torments for the sake of the heavenly Jerusalem; rejoice, holy and spotless calf, who didst shed thy blood for Christ; rejoice, conqueror of enemies by courage and utter destroyer of the fury of tyrants; rejoice, planter of good virtues; rejoice, thou who settest those who flee to thee on the path of the Lord’s commandments; rejoice, thou who didst boldly overthrow the delusion of foreigners; rejoice, thou who encouragest the faithful by the fruit of thy courage; rejoice, thou who enlightenest those who hope in thee with the dawn of miracles; rejoice, thou who instead of a passing kingdom didst receive the light that passeth not; rejoice, thou who hast inherited the kingdom with the saints and carest for our salvation; rejoice, thou who by firm faith crushest evil spirits; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
When thou didst die, glorious king and martyr, in that night lovers of the martyrs took thy body and, anointing it with great honour, buried it at Nodokra, in thy God-built church, and they told all of the courage of thy martyrdom, that all who flee to thee in faith might venerate thy precious shrine and worthily adorn thy memory with praises: Alleluia.
As thou didst exchange the crown of kingship and the purple robe for the radiance of the kingdom that passeth not, so in imitation of thee kings and princes, soldiers and common folk offered themselves with joy to Christ God; therefore the Church of the Georgians rejoiceth in thy memory and appointeth it for all the faithful to the glory and praise of thy struggle and invincible courage:
Rejoice, thou who didst keep the divine law undefiled; rejoice, good shepherd of thy God-protected people; rejoice, planter of love for God, fatherland and king; rejoice, thou who didst take up the cross of Christ and cast the Saracens down to the ground; rejoice, thou who by hope in God didst shatter the sharpened sword of the enemy; rejoice, thou who didst dry the tears of sorrow of the Georgians; rejoice, deliverer from ruinous sloth; rejoice, thou who rousest the slack to good conduct; rejoice, thou who drivest away sicknesses of many kinds and infirmities; rejoice, deliverer of those condemned to death; rejoice, thou who castest down and utterly bringest to nought the host of demons; rejoice, thou who spiritually enlightenest our people; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
Radiant is thy name and glorious thy memory, O holy and chosen king, for thou didst still the fierce calamities contrived in many ways by the Hagarenes that came upon thy people; therefore the people, called and faithful, coming to thy church and rejoicing in thy radiant memory, tell of thy struggles and offer glory to God: Alleluia.
Thou didst show an unexampled suffering, laying the beginning of martyrdom among kings, and didst raise up thy successors to imitate thee, with whom thou wast glorified as a chosen warrior and crowned as a pious king; therefore we, this assembly gathered by God, rejoice and honour thy holy memory, crying with all praise:
Rejoice, thou who by the light of thy martyrdom didst make the darkness of the fatherland bright; rejoice, strengthener of the spiritual courage of the Iberians; rejoice, thou who by thy blood didst magnify the right faith; rejoice, thou who coolest the faithful with divine dew; rejoice, thou who raisest up our defiled mind; rejoice, deliverer from tumult and war; rejoice, thou who assuagest the flame of the passions and grievous sicknesses; rejoice, thou who swiftly drivest away grievous calamities; rejoice, thou who givest courage to those seized by the sleep of sloth; rejoice, thou who bringest to life our lifeless and lukewarm faith; rejoice, thou who by thy struggle didst finish well the divine course; rejoice, thou who askest mercy of God for sinners; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
As of old thou didst show thy wondrous protection to our people and shelter it from the evil enemy by fervent intercession, so now also, standing boldly before God as a martyr, reconcile us to the good God, that our prayer may not be reckoned against us, but that all the Orthodox may prosper and it may be offered before God: Alleluia.
Who shall tell thy greatness, O honoured and wise sovereign? For thou didst radiantly adorn the Church of the Georgians with thy divine suffering, which thou didst take upon thee for Christ with courage and joy; therefore we hasten with zeal to thy beautiful church and to thy radiant shrine, that we who praise thee may be filled with healing:
Rejoice, adornment of the line of Vakhtang, to whom the throne of Parnavaz and the sceptre of Mirian were entrusted; rejoice, strength given from heaven to the Orthodox, who in old age didst courageously bear the wrath of the godless and make the glory of Christ shine; rejoice, unshakeable wall of the faithful Targamosians, who by thy blood didst guard thy flock; rejoice, beauty of the radiant choir of martyrs, for thou didst receive a second baptism in thy blood and cleanse thy soul; rejoice, good and kind and faithful servant, who didst worthily receive from Christ the reward of victory; rejoice, champion of piety, for thou didst open the door of martyrdom to martyr-kings; rejoice, thou courageous in way of life, victorious in struggle, fearless in mind, for thou didst make the throne of thy kingship honoured by thy suffering; rejoice, thou wise among kings and king among the wise, who didst make that many-wiled Belial foolish and frenzied; rejoice, thou radiant with a flashing invincible struggle, upon whom in place of a crown was set a sevenfold unfading heavenly crown; rejoice, thou who didst serve God piously, for by struggle thou didst find incorruptible delight and by courage the crown of victory; rejoice, thou clothed with incorruption, for now, united to the delight of paradise, thou rejoicest with the angels and reignest with Christ for ever; rejoice, sweet comfort of the dwellers of Iberia, for we, the Georgian people, have thy miracles as an impregnable wall; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
O all-glorious and courageous martyr, praised for thy miracles, King Archil! Thou who didst establish thy life in piety and adorn the house of the Georgian kings with divine radiance by the blood of martyrdom, now thou art given to thy people as a fountain of healing, but only to those who ask healing of thee in faith and, seeing the spiritual graces in thee, glorify the Benefactor who hath mercy on all: Alleluia.
Say this kontakion thrice, then:
Thou didst open the door of thy martyrdom, O light-clad martyr of Christ the Deliverer, and didst make a way for the course of the kings who followed, along which, with fearless minds, the valiant Demetrius and Luarsab went out like giants to run; with these pious kings and the choirs of martyrs thou hast appeared as a full partaker, and with joy thou enlightenest our hearts, who flee to thee and offer thee this hymn: Rejoice, strength and glory of the sceptre of kings;
Rejoice, all-radiant champion of truth; rejoice, pillar of the right faith reaching to heaven; rejoice, fearless soldier of the Saviour, conqueror of unbelieving enemies; rejoice, blossoming branch of piety and holiness; rejoice, thou who sweetly bearest the divine yoke; rejoice, strengthener of the Christ-loving army; rejoice, rational adamant of patience; rejoice, thou who by firm faith didst expose the ungodliness of tyrants; rejoice, leader of the Georgian people; rejoice, uncaptured gate of the Church of Iberia; rejoice, glory and strength of our fatherland; Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
To the first martyr among kings and renowned warrior, the chosen one of Christ, the glorious Archil, courageous and invincible, we offer thee this praise in thanksgiving and entreat thee: as thou didst promise us at the time of thine end, be the helper and protector of those who praise thee in faith: Rejoice, glorious martyr King Archil, who didst labour for faith and fatherland!
O beautiful adornment of the Church, boast of martyrs, joy of kings, invincible in battles and unashamed in afflictions, swift helper of those who entreat thee and giver of mercy, God-crowned King Archil!
O glorious martyr of Christ, who didst endure courageously, renowned warrior, helper of the faithful, valiant king, holy Archil! Remember us before God, for love of whom thou didst shed thy blood, O blessed one, and by the radiance of thy holiness quench the mystery of lawlessness stirred up against our beloved people, which is “the abomination of desolation”. Grant us victory over them and the confirming of Orthodoxy from Christ God, and renew again our faith, and grant us unfailing love for God, king and fatherland, and raise up for us the horn of anointing, that we may not become like the senseless beasts, like those idolaters and others so foolish. Strengthen in their ministry the Most Holy and Most Blessed Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazeti, the great lord, our father Ilia, the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, the honourable priests, the deacons in Christ and all the monastic orders, the members of the Orthodox Church and all right-believing Christians.
O valiant martyr victorious in the struggle, King Archil! With a mercy like that of Jesus God intercede before Him, that He may grant glory to the churches, honour to the clergy, good shepherding of the people to rulers, courage to soldiers, sinlessness to the laity and chastity to women; and to us a life of good conduct, adornment with works of mercy, enlightenment through holy prayer, cleansing through confession, radiance through communion, an honourable departure, the inheritance of the kingdom, singing with the angels, reigning with the saints, and with thee glory and thanksgiving; for to Him befitteth all glory, honour and worship, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Author and compiler: Tinatin Mchedlishvili
