Akathist Hymn to the Holy Great Martyr Barbara
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, both now and ever, and unto the 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. Amen.
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.
Thou dwellest radiantly in the heavenly mansions with Juliana and the host of martyrs, as one betrothed by the heavenly Bridegroom; and we honour thee, O martyr of Christ Barbara, victorious in the struggle, and entreat thee: deliver from every trial and guard from sicknesses us who remember thy courage and sing with longing: Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
Thy remembrance looseth and dispelleth sicknesses and bitter pains, as thou didst ask of Christ God, all-praised Barbara, and if anyone calleth on thee fervently in prayer, thou deliverest him from every evil; therefore deliver us too from every passion, that we may not incline to lawlessness at the will of the ungodly, and that we may say according to our strength:
Rejoice, beautiful rose that didst spring up from fruitless thorns; rejoice, lily of virginity that didst grow up amid the tares of idolatry; rejoice, thou who wast chosen by God from among the heathen; rejoice, thou who didst shine with purity and faithfulness; rejoice, thou who art filled with grace and adorned with spiritual order; rejoice, thou who art clothed with hope in the Lord and the courage of piety; rejoice, thou who teachest a watchful and sober life; rejoice, thou who wast persecuted with many afflictions for righteousness’ sake; rejoice, thou who wast slain like Abel and offered in sacrifice like Isaac; rejoice, virgin who hast drawn near to the Virgin Queen; rejoice, thou who art united in heaven with the choirs of the saints; rejoice, thou who art glorified by incorrupt relics; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
When Maximian took the kingdom, he raised a great persecution against the churches and cruelly slew the Christians; and though thou wast brought up in seclusion in the lofty tower built by thine idolater father, the unapproachable Light enlightened thy mind, and thou didst ponder within thyself how heaven and earth could be made by dark idols; and thou didst answer thyself: “No! There is one God, not made with hands, and He is the Creator of all, to whom befitteth glory and praise”: Alleluia.
As thou didst shine with comeliness of body and beauty of soul, many appeared seeking thy hand; but thou didst not love an earthly bridegroom more than the heavenly one, and having become the Bride of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, thou didst answer thy father firmly: “Knowest thou not, father, that this corruptible beauty is nothing to me, and it befitteth me to offer purity of flesh and spirit and perfect love to God?” Therefore we rejoice in thy grace and cry with longing:
Rejoice, thou who wast brought up in luxury in the house of thy heathen father; rejoice, thou who wast chosen for a mind not childish but wise; rejoice, thou who wast enlightened by the benefaction of grace; rejoice, thou who wast lifted up in mind from the deluding idols to the true God; rejoice, thou who didst shine with the light of the knowledge of God; rejoice, thou who wast taught true theology by God the Word; rejoice, vessel of wisdom given from above; rejoice, good keeper of purity and chastity; rejoice, thou who didst love the sweetness of the right faith; rejoice, thou who didst hate the delusion of idolatry; rejoice, advocate and benefactress of the poor; rejoice, intercessor for widows and visitor of orphans; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
When thy father heard of thy purpose, he ordered a bath-house to be built with two windows, in remembrance of the sun and moon, to draw thy mind away from seeking the truth and turn thee to the pleasure of the flesh, and he himself went far away; then, having radiantly received the faith through other virgins, thou didst make a vow of purity and virginity, and with those wise virgins didst glorify and sing to the Holy Trinity in one Godhead: Alleluia.
When thy heart was enlightened by the Holy Spirit, thou didst put on the light of Christ by baptism, and being in the flesh thou didst live like the bodiless ones and serve the true God; and seeing the bath-house with two windows, thou didst go up to its builders and order three windows to be made, and having shown with wisdom and understanding the mystery of the Holy Trinity, thou didst trace with thy finger in the bath-house the sign of Christ God crucified, O glory of martyrs; with them entreat God to give us also understanding to discern good and evil, that armed by thy spiritual strength we may be made worthy to offer the hymn:
Rejoice, thou who didst forsake the defilement of thy fathers and forefathers and preach the glory of God; rejoice, thou who for Christ’s sake didst hate a vain life; rejoice, virgin honourably betrothed to Christ the Bridegroom born of a Virgin; rejoice, ewe-lamb of God who didst follow the good Shepherd; rejoice, thou who didst gain the grace of theology; rejoice, thou who by three windows didst drive away the darkness of many gods; rejoice, thou who didst wear down the flesh by fasting and vigil; rejoice, thou who ever prayest to the Lord at every hour unceasingly, with tearful sighs and humble hymns; rejoice, thou who didst keep the seal of the Holy Spirit spotless and undefiled; rejoice, thou who by divine grace didst cast down the ruler of this world; rejoice, thou who didst mightily trample upon every evil habit and vice; rejoice, thou who didst exalt the manner of life of Christian virgins; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
When thy father returned to his house, he saw the bath-house with three windows and marvelled; but thou didst wish to turn him to God and fearlessly didst teach him the law of Christ: “I will lead thee, father, out of darkness into light; knowest thou not that these three windows are they that enlighten all the world – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – and to Him alone befitteth thanksgiving and doxology?”: Alleluia.
Thou couldst not bear, O spotless one, the lawlessness of thy father, and burning with divine zeal thou didst boldly expose his craft and cast down the idols that stood on high; then that foul one was filled with wrath, for he was blinded in the eye of the soul, and raged to kill thee with the sword; but his insolence was in vain, for, driven out by thy father like a spotless ewe-lamb from an evil wolf, thou didst hasten to Christ the good Shepherd, and, like Thecla the first woman martyr, a rock received thee. So now also reconcile to the good God those who flee to thee with piety, that He may arm us with His invincible power against enemies visible and invisible, that rising up in the right faith we may cry aloud “Rejoice”:
Rejoice, virgin who didst live holily and unshaken among the heathen; rejoice, honourable daughter of the heavenly Father, who didst desire no other bridegroom but the heavenly; rejoice, imitator of the holy and blessed martyrs; rejoice, thou who didst take up the cross of Christ upon thy shoulders; rejoice, thou who of thine own will didst endure torments for His sake; rejoice, destroyer of unjust judgements; rejoice, thou who wast parted from a beloved fatherland and didst choose the heavenly fatherland; rejoice, thou who wast persecuted by an earthly father for the faith of Christ; rejoice, thou who didst pass through the rock that opened for thee at God’s command; rejoice, thou who didst wondrously enter the cave; rejoice, fragrant myrrh that makest the Church of Christ fragrant; rejoice, comfort of all the Orthodox and shame of those who glorify evil; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
When the two shepherds saw how thy lawless father was seeking thee, one of them, a wicked man, betrayed thee and told the foolish one thy dwelling; and when the evil Dioscorus found thee sitting in the hidden place, he seized thy beautiful hair, and as he dragged thee to his house thy torn flesh was reddened with blood, and thy hair stained with it was scattered along the way; but thy mind was lifted to the Lord, O blessed one, and thou didst cry courageously: “Christ is my helper; I am His handmaid”, and didst praise Him who strengthened thee: Alleluia.
Forgetting the love for children that nature teacheth, thy father shut thee up in darkness and tormented thee with hunger, and himself went before the idolater governor and told him how thou callest upon the God of the Christians; therefore that evil ruler was enraged and commanded the foolish man to bring thee; but thou didst pray: “Send, O Lord, help to me from on high from Thy holy place, that I may keep my virginity undefiled, and strengthen me against Thine adversaries and against the devil, that I may overcome him and crush him by Thy power”; therefore we, the children of the Orthodox Church, extol thee with a loud voice:
Rejoice, thou who didst clothe thyself in a wedding garment of thy blood; rejoice, thou who instead of braided hair didst receive a heavenly crown; rejoice, thou who by the stream of thy blood didst quench the flame of delusion; rejoice, star that showest the way to those who seek salvation; rejoice, thou who by thy valour and courage puttest to shame the faint-hearted and the weak; rejoice, thou who by firm faith conquerest and crushest the evil spirits; rejoice, thou who didst boldly destroy ungodly teachings; rejoice, candle that enlightenest the wise and burnest the foolish; rejoice, thou who destroyest the designs of Belial and blottest out every defilement; rejoice, thou who kindlest our hearts with divine fire; rejoice, planter of the right faith and of the worship of God; rejoice, thou who shelterest from the assault and evils of invisible enemies; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
Seeing thy youth and beauty, Marcian thought to turn thee to the idols, O blessed one, and said to thee with flattery: “The gods know that I do not wish to torment thee, O Barbara; but sacrifice to the gods and thou shalt escape dread torments”; but the Spirit of the Father gave thee an answer before the tyrants, and thou didst say to him: “Thou canst not shake my firmness either by kindness or by blows, but I trust in God the Creator of all, Jesus Christ with His Father and the Holy Spirit, the one true God, that He may deliver me from lawlessness and corruption; and I sing to Him in spirit and in truth”: Alleluia.
Then the judge of falsehood was filled with wrath and said to thee: “If thou obey me not, thy limbs shall be cut off with the sword and the fire of my wrath shall devour thee”; but thou didst answer firmly: “Now I do not submit to your folly, nor do I worship those lying idols, deaf and dumb, made by the hands of men, as the prophet David said: Mouths have they, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not… Let them that make them be like unto them, and all that trust in them”, and thou didst bring his treachery to nought by the power of the Spirit; therefore we who boast in thee offer thee this praise of thanksgiving:
Rejoice, thou who didst fulfil the sayings of David, prophet, king and forefather; rejoice, God-bearing preacher, imitator of the apostles of Christ; rejoice, reprover of those who have strayed from the paths of truth; rejoice, thou who by unceasing prayer drivest away the temptations of the devil; rejoice, thou who didst take upon thee struggles and the trials that came; rejoice, thou who according to their teaching didst scatter the darkness of many gods; rejoice, thou who bringest to nought the treachery of tyrants and courageously puttest idolatry to shame; rejoice, thou who didst stop the mouths of all the unbelieving; rejoice, deliverer from soul-destroying teachings; rejoice, smiter of treachery and overthrower of hostile powers; rejoice, fervent helper in intercessions and swift hearer of those who pray to thee; rejoice, thou who bridlest vain impulses; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
Thy firmness enraged that senseless one, and he commanded that thou be beaten with ox-sinews; and those who saw the wounds of thy flesh wept bitterly and said to thee, drenched in blood: “Confess the gods then and deliver thyself from the beating”; but thou didst count their request as nothing and didst answer thus: “In place of these blows I await rest from my Lord Jesus Christ with the holy virgins, and to Him alone I offer thanksgiving and hymn”: Alleluia.
Marcian thought thou wouldst die, and cast thee into prison, into a dark place; but thou didst lift up thine eyes and begin to pray: “I am the only child of my mother, and my father hath forsaken me; but look upon me, O God, and send the dew of healing, that it may lessen my torment and turn my pains into joy”; and behold, the Lord heard the voice of thine entreaty, and light shone in the prison, for Christ appeared to thee with angels, and healing thee of all thy wounds, He said: “Peace be to thee, Barbara! Fear not that lawless judge whom the devil hath strengthened, but I stand with thee and will deliver thee from every evil”; and thou, finding thyself wholly unharmed, didst thank God with joy. Entreat Him now to deliver from passions of soul and sicknesses of body us who call thee blessed and cry with longing:
Rejoice, blessedly beautiful Bride of the Lord; rejoice, judge of judgement and righteousness; rejoice, bearer of the good yoke of Christ; rejoice, vessel of good character and understanding; rejoice, thunder of divine preaching; rejoice, shield that guardest piety; rejoice, sword that cuttest off impiety; rejoice, all-unshakeable pillar of courage; rejoice, branch of the vine of Christ mercilessly pruned; rejoice, divine chalice of the altar on high; rejoice, myrrh offered as ointment to the immortal King; rejoice, helper of every wise and courageous woman; rejoice, precious pearl of the Church of Christ; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
When thy guards saw thee praying before God, they cried out together: “Great is the God of the Christians, who hath healed her, and there is no other God greater than He”; and when Marcian heard it, he was aghast and commanded the soldiers to bring thee; and coming out of the prison, thou didst seal all thy limbs with the seal of Christ and glorify God with divine song: Alleluia.
When the ruler saw thee wholly sound and unharmed, he called thee to worship the idols and said: “Offer sacrifice to our gods as a sign of thankfulness”; but thou didst cry out: “Servant of deceiving demons, be not a lover of deaf and dumb idols, which can neither see nor help those who trust in them, but worship Christ, who was crucified, buried and rose on the third day, and by His cross hath strengthened me against thee”; and behold, thy tormentors cried aloud: “We too believe in Jesus Christ, for there is no other God but He”; therefore their heads were cut off and they inherited the kingdom of heaven. So now also make our soul and mind wise in God, O holy one, that, armed with thy courage, we may call thee blessed with thanks and say in praise:
Rejoice, thou who wast wondrously called by God out of darkness into the light of faith; rejoice, thou who didst shine like a star over all the earth; rejoice, wondrous maiden, who wast revealed as mightier than the mighty; rejoice, thou who wast hung upon a tree for Christ crucified; rejoice, thou who by the patience of blows wast shown firmer than adamant; rejoice, thou who didst bring even the tormentors themselves to faith; rejoice, thou who turnest back those who have fallen away and denied; rejoice, giver of courage and unshakeable firmness; rejoice, reprover of slanderers and revilers; rejoice, thou who didst receive from the Lord authority over unclean spirits; rejoice, healer of those held by evil sicknesses; rejoice, thou who shelterest inexperienced and young maidens from passionate desires; rejoice, guardian from the snares of Satan and the invasion of foreigners; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
Marcian was greatly enraged and commanded that thou be hung upon a tree, thy sides scraped with iron claws and burning torches brought; then the tormentors did so and burned thy flesh with fire; and the multitude of the people did not oppose such wickedness, save one pious woman named Juliana, who fearlessly rebuked the ruler; and when he asked her: “What God dost thou serve, woman?” – “Christ, the true God”, she answered boldly, and at once he commanded that she be tortured with thee; and ye, being beaten in the stadium, strengthened one another and glorified God: Alleluia.
Seeing your courage, the impious one was greatly enraged and cast Juliana into prison, while they stripped thee of thy garments, that thou mightest be put to shame with a virgin’s shame, and led thee about the city; but an angel clothed in light, when they stripped thee for Christ, clothed thee with a radiant garment, O holy one, and invisibly guarded thee from shameless eyes; therefore that lawless ruler was aghast lest the whole city should confess Christ, and he commanded the soldiers to slay Juliana with the sword, and said to thy father: “Take the sword and put thy daughter to death by cutting off her head”; therefore, in honour of thy victorious struggles and sufferings, we sing to thee with longing:
Rejoice, for when Juliana, pious among women, saw thy dread suffering, she was greatly amazed how courageously thou didst endure such torments for Christ; rejoice, for she, filled with tears of compunction, swiftly confessed Christ; rejoice, O Barbara, fair virgin, and Juliana, for by longing for Christ ye withstood the weakness of womanly nature with manly struggles; rejoice, ye who were unconquered by your adversaries, for with a woman’s nature ye overcame the violence of men; rejoice, for evil wolves surrounded you, the ewe-lambs, and tore you mercilessly, as Herod the innocent infants and as Zacharias who was slain guiltless; rejoice, holy and spotless calves, for ye courageously endured fierce wounds and shed your blood for Christ; rejoice, for ye kindled your lamps like those wise virgins; rejoice, for ye took oil in your vessels and went out to meet the Bridegroom and entered the royal marriage; rejoice, for by good struggle and courageous martyrdom ye slew the crafty enemy; rejoice, for ye were honourably adorned, O martyrs victorious in the struggle, greatly called blessed by us sinners, and received from Christ the unfading crown of heaven; rejoice, O virgins and Orthodox, entreat the Virgin Mary and her Son that He may forgive us our sins also; rejoice, ye blessed ones remembered with blessing, for from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof your name is praised; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
Then thy parent led thee out of the city, and when ye reached the place where thy head was to be cut off, thou didst entreat the merciless one: “Leave me a little while, that I may pray before God, that He may take up my soul to that place of rest.” But he cried out in fury: “Who is thy God? Call on Him as much as thou canst, that I may see whether He will come and deliver thee out of my hands”; then thou didst lift up thy holy hands to heaven and thank God who had made thee worthy to know His holy name, and didst offer the song of songs: Alleluia.
Again thou didst pray on thy knees to the Lord, fair virgin, and didst cry fervently: “Hear, O Lord, Thy handmaid, and grant to my flesh and bones the grace of healing of souls and bodies; and to those who wish to hear of my struggle grant forgiveness of sins; and if anyone falleth unjustly into a matter of judgement, let him overcome his enemies by the remembrance of my name”; therefore all we faithful have thee as a physician of sicknesses and a spiritual treasury of wonders, and offer thee praise:
Rejoice, wise virgin who hast a radiant lamp; rejoice, thou who didst count temporal beauty as nothing; rejoice, thou who instead of passing glory didst receive unfading light; rejoice, thou who didst purchase the blessed life; rejoice, comforter of all the sorrowful and of those in bonds; rejoice, swift hearer of those who hasten towards truth; rejoice, terror of those who worship falsehood and hate the truth; rejoice, sleepless guardian of peoples who love the martyrs; rejoice, thou who humblest the envious and the slanderers; rejoice, thou who keepest soul and body untouched; rejoice, thou who stretchest out thy hand to reverent priests and monks; rejoice, God-given helper and benefactress of virgins and women; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
When thou hadst finished thy prayer, thou didst hear a divine voice fulfilling thy petitions: “Behold, all that thou didst ask I have granted thee, and if anyone calleth on thee in prayer, I will deliver him from every evil; and blessed shall be the generation that believeth in Me through thee; and come now with thy sister Juliana to the place I have prepared for you, at the right hand of Thecla and the martyrs, radiantly beautiful and crowned, that together ye may sing for ever to the Holy Trinity”: Alleluia.
When Dioscorus and those with him heard this voice, they were aghast; and thou, armed with prayer and faith, didst commend thy spirit to the Lord, and bowing thy neck didst say to thy father: “Now fulfil what the ruler commanded thee, O godless one, for by the power of my Christ I have overcome that unclean judge”; and this is a wonder, that the wretched father delivered his beloved child to death and cut off thy holy head; but when thy courage and martyrdom became known, those who stood around thy relics offered thee many hymns, O blessed one, and with them I too sing to thee and compose praise for the showing forth of such a victory:
Rejoice, fellow-struggler of the martyrs of old, for thou didst courageously despise the sharpness of iron and the heat of fire and thereby trampled on the wiles of the enemy; rejoice, for through love for the immortal Father an earthly father gave thee over to a merciless death; rejoice, for, slain by an unbelieving father, thou wast received by the heavenly Father as His beloved daughter, and in place of corruptible earthly wealth He granted thee incorruption of the flesh; rejoice, for thy body was made spotless by the sprinkling of thy blood, and with Juliana thou rejoicest for ever in eternal glory; rejoice, ye sisters slain together, our intercessors, for your sorrows were changed into joy and your pains into sweetness, and ye have found eternal delight; rejoice, for ye shine with the light of martyrdom, and adorned with the crown of the martyrs ye stand radiantly before God; rejoice, thou who with thy relics didst make fragrant first Heliopolis, then Constantinople, and at last thy relics were granted to the city of Kyiv as a crown of graces; rejoice, fulfiller of good petitions, for thou didst receive from the King of all the gift of working wonders, and thy holy relics heal a multitude of sicknesses, drive away demons and gladden all the world; rejoice, for though dead, as if alive thou shinest brighter than the sun to all the ends of the earth and from thy shrine preachest Christ God; rejoice, for every believer and every Orthodox people honoureth thine incorrupt relics and keepeth thy memory year by year; rejoice, helper of all the despairing, for all the Orthodox have thee as a physician of sicknesses and sores and a worker of wonders; rejoice, for thy feats of courage are beyond nature, word, knowledge and mind, and thou art praised with hymns by the faithful; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
Blessed is the King who made thee worthy to be united with the holy myrrh-bearers and the choirs of martyrs and honoured thee like them with the crown of struggles; for Christ fulfilled thy petition, O Barbara, and as a reward granted thee the grace of healings for those who entreat thee, O venerable one, and those who ask for help receive more than they ask; therefore we glorify God who granted thee such grace and holiness, and sing to Him who glorified thee: Alleluia.
The city of Kyiv is now filled with joy and boasteth, where the holy shrine of thy relics is and poureth forth grace and mercy without stint; and all who flee in faith to kiss it obtain the good fulfilment of their petitions, for by the grace given thee by the Lord thou swiftly healest passions of soul and body, and portrayed in icons and remembered in prayers thou deliverest from trials those who praise thee:
Rejoice, thou who by the power of the Crucified makest invisible the delusions of the enemy; rejoice, thou who dwellest with the ranks of the bodiless in heaven and workest wonders; rejoice, thou who wast led with joy by the choirs of virgins into the heavenly bridal chambers; rejoice, comforter of those saddened by torment; rejoice, healer of our infirmities of soul and body; rejoice, deliverer of those possessed by evil spirits; rejoice, thou who rescuest from enemies visible and invisible; rejoice, thou who bringest to life lukewarm faith; rejoice, thou who swiftly drivest away grievous calamities; rejoice, thou who dispellest the stain of superstition; rejoice, thou who receivest suffering souls that flee to thee; rejoice, thou who turnest our sorrows into joy; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
O great-martyr Barbara, adorned with virginity and made radiant by martyrdom, by the endurance of sufferings thou didst receive from on high the grace to drive out unclean spirits and trample on the evil invisible enemies, and thou makest the gifts of thy help shine upon all who entreat thee; now also be the physician of my infirmities and entreat Christ God to grant me a Christian end and until death to make me worthy to partake of His all-holy and life-giving Mysteries, that, strengthened by divine grace, I may sing with thee to the all-holy Trinity: Alleluia.
This kontakion thrice, then
Thy remembrance looseth and dispelleth sicknesses and bitter pains, as thou didst ask of Christ God, all-praised Barbara, and if anyone calleth on thee fervently in prayer, thou deliverest him from every evil; therefore deliver us too from every passion, that we may not incline to lawlessness at the will of the ungodly, and that we may say according to our strength:
Rejoice, beautiful rose that didst spring up from fruitless thorns; rejoice, lily of virginity that didst grow up amid the tares of idolatry; rejoice, thou who wast chosen by God from among the heathen; rejoice, thou who didst shine with purity and faithfulness; rejoice, thou who art filled with grace and adorned with spiritual order; rejoice, thou who art clothed with hope in the Lord and the courage of piety; rejoice, thou who teachest a watchful and sober life; rejoice, thou who wast persecuted with many afflictions for righteousness’ sake; rejoice, thou who wast slain like Abel and offered in sacrifice like Isaac; rejoice, virgin who hast drawn near to the Virgin Queen; rejoice, thou who art united in heaven with the choirs of the saints; rejoice, thou who art glorified by incorrupt relics; Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
Thou dwellest radiantly in the heavenly mansions with Juliana and the host of martyrs, as one betrothed by the heavenly Bridegroom; and we honour thee, O martyr of Christ Barbara, victorious in the struggle, and entreat thee: deliver from every trial and guard from sicknesses us who remember thy courage and sing with longing: Rejoice, invincible Bride of Christ, great-martyr Barbara!
O holy, glorious and nobly victorious great-martyr Barbara, radiant lamp of the Church of Christ, bountiful giver of miracles, merciful and without anger, defender of the poor and swift helper of the sick!
O holy, glorious and all-praised virgin-martyr Barbara, fair Bride of Christ, who as one betrothed to the heavenly Bridegroom dwellest in His bridal chambers with the five wise virgins and with Juliana, ask now of Christ God to guard our fatherland from the snares of the enemy and from hatred among brethren, and to look with mercy upon the portion of His Mother, our Orthodox and right-confessing people. Heal our many wounds by thy prayer acceptable to God, and grant us divine zeal for our fatherland and the fear of God, that all who dwell in Georgia may be established in Orthodoxy and one mind, and with one mouth and one heart sing to Christ the true God. 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. Glorify those who bear thy name and entreat thee. Entreat, O all-radiant martyr, the sweet Jesus whom thou lovest, to forgive us our apostasies, the destruction and defilement of churches, the murders of the servants of God, treachery, envy and lawlessness, the killing of our infants in the womb and the rest of the multitude of our sins.
O all-wise and all-beautiful Barbara, martyr and Bride of Christ 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.
It is truly meet that we should magnify thee, O Theotokos, who art ever-blessed and all-immaculate and the Mother of our God. Thee, more honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the only Theotokos, we magnify in song.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy (Thrice).
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother, of the all-glorious and greatly praised virgin-martyr Barbara and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Author and compiler: Tinatin Mchedlishvili
