Festal Service to the Holy Hieromartyr Dositheus, Metropolitan of Kutaisi
— “O come, let us worship” — is sung.
— “Bless the Lord, O my soul” (Psalm 103) — is sung.
— “Blessed is the man” — the first antiphon of the first kathisma.
— “Lord, I have cried” (sung in Tone 5).
— Of St Dositheus. — On 8.
On this day of thy memory thou shinest like the radiant sun in the firmament of the Church of the Georgians; and now we too honour thee, O holy hieromartyr Dositheus, and with a loud voice we praise thy wondrous struggle, watchfulness and self-sacrifice, and entreat thee as our helper: intercede now with Christ and ask, O saint, that He may send down upon the Churches unity, peace and great mercy.
Among hierarchs thou didst shine forth in piety, O holy Dositheus, and didst shepherd our people, who bear the name of Christ, and make them wise with divine zeal for the faith and the fatherland; and now we too, not ignorant of thy struggles, fervently entreat thee: intercede now with Christ and ask, O saint, that He may send down upon the Churches unity, peace and great mercy.
When Christ made thee father and teacher of thy people, oppressed by enemies, thou didst lead it with courage as Moses led the Israelites; and having taken upon thyself trial and death without judgement for the sake of thy flock, thy holy soul was caught up by the angels before God: intercede now with Him and ask, O Dositheus worthy of blessing, that He may send down upon the Churches unity, peace and great mercy.
By the will of God thou didst seal the chrism of priesthood, anointed beforehand, with the unction of martyrdom, O blessed one, and being sealed by the shedding of thy blood, dwelling in the Kingdom with the venerable and the martyrs, intercede now with Christ, as we keep thy longed-for memory, and ask, O saint, that He may send down upon the Churches unity, peace and great mercy.
We find thee a shepherd of the sheep and a praying ascetic of good struggle, O beauty of the Church of the Georgians, holy hieromartyr Dositheus of Kutaisi, for neither affliction nor distress, persecution nor the snare of death could separate thee from the love of God; and now, having great boldness, intercede now with Christ and ask, O saint, that He may send down upon the Churches unity, peace and great mercy.
ვითარიმე ქებისა გჳრგჳნი შეგითხზნათ ქართველთა ეკლესიისა დიდსა მღდელთმთავარსა დოსითეოზ ქუთათელსა; კეთილმსახურებისა სუეტსა, და ზეციერსა წინამბრძოლსა ერისა ჩუენისასა; თვალუხუავად მამხილებელსა მტერთა და მბრძოლთა მისთასა, უკეთურთა და უდებთა მარცხუენელსა და ნუგეშინისმცემელსა ყოველთა ჭირვეულთასა; რაჲთა კუალად მეოხ გვეყო წინაშე ღმრთისა, დაიფაროს მამული შენი - საქართველო - ყოვლისაგან ჭირისა და თანამბრძოლ გვეყოს ჩუენ მარადის წინააღდგომად მტერისა.
With what hymns of praise shall we sing of the great guide and enlightener of our people, our holy father the hieromartyr Dositheus of Kutaisi, the luminary of our people and unshaken pillar of the faith, to whom Christ gave grace to strengthen our people? Now be our intercessor with Him, that He may cast down the assaults of our countless enemies and pursuers.
With what praise shall we extol the good shepherd and teacher of the Iberians, St Dositheus of Kutaisi, the strength and beam of the Church, who laboured greatly for our people before God, for deliverance from trials and rescue from every passion and deception? So now also be an intercessor for us, O saint, who honour thy feast.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having become by purity of heart a dwelling of the Holy Spirit, thou didst take up thy cross, O all-praised father, and follow that narrow and sorrowful way on which Christ God, the Chief Shepherd of all, set thee; and behold, now, by the grace thou hast before Him, O holy Dositheus, ask for the deliverance of Iberia from the invasions of the enemy and the unshaken preservation of the Church.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Who will not call thee blessed, O all-holy Virgin? Who will not praise thine all-pure childbearing? For the only-begotten Son, who shone forth timelessly from the Father, came forth ineffably incarnate from thee, the pure one; being God by nature, and for our sake becoming man by nature, not divided into two persons, but known in two natures without confusion. Entreat Him, O honoured and all-blessed one, for the salvation of our souls. (Tone 6).
— The entrance with the censer.
— The prokeimenon of the day
— The Old Testament readings — three readings of the hieromartyr (from the Common service of a martyr).
1. The reading from the prophecy of Isaiah (ch. 43:9–14)
All the nations are gathered together, and princes shall be gathered out of them: who will declare these things? or who will declare to you things from the beginning? let them bring forth their witnesses, and be justified; and let them hear, and declare the truth. Be ye my witnesses, and I too am a witness, saith the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know, and believe, and understand that I am he: before me there was no other God, and after me there shall be none. I am God; and beside me there is no Saviour. I have declared, and have saved; I have reproached, and there was no strange god among you: ye are my witnesses, and I am the Lord God, even from the beginning; and there is none that can deliver out of my hands: I will work, and who shall turn it back? Thus saith the Lord God that redeems you, the Holy One of Israel; For your sakes I will send to Babylon, and I will stir up all that flee, and the Chaldeans shall be bound in ships.
2. The reading from the Wisdom of Solomon (ch. 3)
But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself. As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering. And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect.
3. The reading from the Wisdom of Solomon (ch. 4:7–15)
But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the grey hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: for his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked. This the people saw, and understood not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen.
— At the Litia, the sticheron of the church — 1; the remaining stichera of the saint:
Being called to the service of God, O blessed one, thou didst put on the priestly vesture of holiness and grace, and for thy flock thou didst labour in spirit before God with fervent prayer, for deliverance from trials and rescue from every passion: now intercede with Him for us too, that He may mercifully turn away His wrath, justly stirred up against us for the multitude of our sins, and guide us on the way of repentance.
When God saw thy holiness and courage of soul, He set thee on the royal throne of Kutaisi, and thou wast a faithful steward of thy flock; and as thy prayer, deeds and teaching became the rudder and helmsman for clergy and peoples, they gave thanks to God for sending such a hierarch: now commend us too to His goodness, that He may keep us from the warfare of demons, from carnal temptations and from the turmoil of the world.
ვითარცა მეფეთა ისრაელისათა მოუვლენდა უფალი წინაჲსწარმეტყუელთა სიქადულად მათდა, ზღუდედ შჯულისა და შუამდგომელად წინაშე მისსა, ეგრეთცა მარადის ექმნებოდი შენ თანა შემწედ კეთილმსახურთა მათ მეფეთა იმერთასა, რამეთუ ერთობითა ზრუნვიდით აღორძინებისათჳს სამწყსოჲსათჳს თქუენისა, - გარეგან ცხოვართაჲთა მოსილთა და შინაგან მგელ-ღმრთისმსახურთა დაამჴობდით და განიოტებდით და შერისხავდით სიწმიდისა შემრყუნელთა და მამულისა მაოხართა, აწ ჩუენცა გარე-წარგვხადე განსაცდელნი, ნეტარო მღდელთმთავარო დოსითეოზ, და გჳჴსენ ეშმაკთა კვეთებისგან.
Appearing as an ascetic and man of prayer to those entrusted to thee, thou didst preach in a God-inspired manner, O God-wise one, and teaching them in the virtues, with compunction of heart thou didst ever labour for the peaceful protection of widows, orphans and the poor; thou didst comfort the sick and infirm and help those in prison: now help us too, O God-wise Dositheus, and deliver us from every evil and pain.
As a faithful father and courageous chief shepherd, thou wast appointed by the holy King Solomon administrator of the catholicosal throne of Imereti and Odishi-Abkhazia; and shepherding thy flock well, thou didst go about the towns and villages with courage, comforting all and teaching them to keep the divine ordinances unswervingly, that they might turn from evil and care for their souls by almsgiving, fasting and prayer.
შემდგომად ქართველთა სამეფოთა სახლთა და საპატრიარქოთა უქმ ყოფისასა რუსთაგან, ვითარცა ქართლ-კახეთსა, ეგრეთცა იმერეთსა, მამულისა სიყვარულითა აღგზებული ეფთჳმე გაენათელისა თანა უშიშად ამხელდი, ვითარცა მმართველთა, ეგრეთცა ეგზარქოსსა - ეკლესიისა ჩუენისა წინამძღვრად უმსჯავროდ დადგინებულსა, და უღლისაგან მათისა გათავისუფლებასა ევედრებოდი ღმერთსა, მას ევედრეთ, დაამხუნას მტერნი ერისა და ეკლესიისა ჩუენისაჲ, და დასცეს მბრძოლნი ქრისტეანობისაჲ.
ხედევდი რაჲ ერსა შენსა ზედა მოწევნულსა განსაცდელსა, ვითარცა სულიერი წინამძღვარი, ახოვნად წინააღუდეგ მძლავრთა, ეწადათ რაჲ დამცრობაჲ ყოვლისავე ქართულისა, და თანა-მზრახველთა თანა იღუწიდი განდევნისათჳს დამპყრობელთა, გარნა ფარულად შეგიპყრეს ვითარცა ავაზაკი, გგვემეს და ეფთჳმე გაენათელისა და გრიგოლ არქიმანდრიტისა თანა ხელშეკრული წარგგზავნეს რუსეთსა, ხოლო თქუენ ჴორცითა განკაფულნი მდუმარედ ილოცვიდით და განძლიერებასა ევედრებოდით ღმერთსა, აწ ჩუენცა გვიოხე[თ] წინაშე მისა, დაგვიფარნეს ყოვლისაგან ვნებისა და საცთურისა.
Out of longing for the Kingdom, O God-bearing one, thou didst take upon thyself the furnace of trials and torments and death without judgement; for near Surami, mercilessly pierced by spearmen, thou didst receive Communion from Archimandrite Gregory and commit thy holy soul to God, and didst truly become an heir of immortality: ask now of Him for us relief from our sins, O most sacred Dositheus, and grant our people victory over countless assailants and adversaries.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thy body was stained with blood, O holy hierarch and martyr Dositheus, and the tormentors hid thy merciless death for fear of an uprising, and afterwards buried thee secretly in the church of Ananuri; by the ladder of martyrdom thou didst ascend, and reaching the vaults of heaven, thou now reignest with the choir of the holy martyrs, O thrice-blessed father, and art an intercessor for those who trust in thee and sing thy praises.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Rejoice, O Virgin, cloud and chariot of the Word; rejoice, O holy dwelling of God, beyond the mind and beyond every bound; rejoice, O unwedded one, who didst conceive by the Spirit God who is above all gods; rejoice, thou who didst give birth without seed and didst give suck without corruption; rejoice, ever-virgin and blessed one.
When thou hadst finished thy course of martyrdom, O holy Dositheus, Christ adorned thee as His well-pleasing one with the crown of victory and settled thee in the eternal mansions, where is the rest of those who laboured and of the martyrs, O blessed one, and power was given thee to help the faithful.
Verse: The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of all their troubles.
Thou didst rise above the passions of the flesh, O holy hieromartyr Dositheus; and the Church, which thou didst adorn with thy holy blood as with a royal ornament, is radiantly arrayed with her children, and biddeth all the faithful to praise with song that wondrous struggle of thine.
Verse: Light hath dawned for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
Behold, thy memory hath come, O holy Dositheus, and calleth us to praise thy countless deeds which the Lord worked through thee, O worthy one; and since He chose thee as a chosen vessel and an organ that containeth His graces, thou hast now boldness to help, that He may count us worthy to glorify Him.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou wast strengthened by watchfulness in prayer, O wise father, and as the cross-bearer of thy people and a faithful servant and imitator of Christ God, thou didst endure many afflictions with courage: now be our intercessor before Him too, that He may calm the waves of our passions and guide us to the haven of salvation.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O unwedded Virgin, who didst ineffably conceive God in thy womb, O Mother of God Most High, accept the supplication of thy servants, O all-immaculate one, who grantest to all the forgiveness of sins; accept our supplication also, and ask of thy Son mercy for our souls.
— “Lord, now lettest Thou”.
— After the “Our Father”:
In the struggles of piety thou didst shine forth like a lamp and didst adorn thy holy vesture with virtues, O holy hierarch Dositheus: entreat Christ God to have mercy on our souls. (Twice)
“O Theotokos and Virgin…” once.
— The blessing of the loaves.
— “God is the Lord” (sung in Tone 4).
In the struggles of piety thou didst shine forth like a lamp and didst adorn thy holy vesture with virtues, O holy hierarch Dositheus: entreat Christ God to have mercy on our souls. (Twice)
— “Glory…”, “Both now…” — the resurrectional dismissal Theotokion (in the tone of the troparion):
The mystery hidden from eternity and unknown to the angels, O Theotokos, was revealed through thee to those on earth: God incarnate in unconfused union, who willingly accepted the Cross for our sake, and thereby raised up the first-formed and saved our souls from death.
On earth thou didst spend thy life in the struggle of the episcopate, and becoming a true martyr, O God-bearing Dositheus, thou shinest with a twofold grace; therefore with faith we magnify Him, O blessed one, who justly glorified thee. (Twice)
Glory… Both now…
The mystery hidden from all ages is revealed to the Archangel, that he may declare it with trembling to the Virgin; and he bringeth glad tidings to her who is blessed among women; with him let us cry out: Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Behold, the multitude of hierarchs confess thee their guide, O God-wise one, as an unashamed helper, and they are filled with those divine graces which thou didst leave behind, O father Dositheus, and they make merry at thy memory.
Glory… Both now…
O all-immaculate and holy one, thou didst conceive by the divine Spirit God the Maker and Creator of all, and didst bear Him without corruption; wherefore we magnify thee and sing thy praise, O Virgin, as the palace of the King of all and the helper of the world.
— “The Polyeleos”, the nineteenth kathisma (Psalms 134 and 135).
— “The Magnification” of the hierarch (with selected verses from the Psalter).
— “The sessional hymn” after the Polyeleos:
Christ set thee as hierarch and enlightener of His chosen people; with the staff of faith thou didst drive away the evil wolves and shelter thy flock from their ravages; and adorned with the struggle of martyrdom, He settled thee in His Kingdom: entreat Him to grant remission of sins to those who with longing honour thy memory. (Twice)
Glory… Both now…
The Word of the Father, who is co-eternal with Him, taketh from thee the beginning of our nature, O Theotokos; the Timeless One entereth into time, the Word becometh flesh, and the Son of God is called thy Son. O this incomprehensible mystery! Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever. Amen.
From my youth unclean passions war mightily against me; therefore I entreat Thee: be my helper and save me, O Good One.
Ye that hate Zion, be put to shame by the Lord, and like withered grass shall Gehenna devour you.
Glory… Both now…
By the Holy Spirit every soul is quickened and exalted in purity, and is made radiant by the Trinity, one in essence, in a manner befitting God and mystically.
(Of the Matins Gospel)
Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Verse: Sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints.
The Lord said unto His disciples: For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
Being wondrously filled with divine wisdom in that fierce struggle, as a good shepherd thou didst lay down thy life for thy flock, O saint; and now, made radiant by the grace of the priesthood and wholly adorned with the blood of martyrdom, thou standest before God: entreat Him now, O all-blessed Dositheus, to deliver us from every affliction and deception.
— “O God, save Thy people…”
Two canons are read.
The first canon — of the Theotokos (the irmos twice) — on 6 (see the canons of the Theotokos at the end of the Parakletike: “Pharaoh the charioteer…” or “Having passed through the water…”).
— The second canon — of the hieromartyr (without the irmos) — on 8. (Tone 8).
— The Katavasia: the usual one.
— The little litany — “Let us sing to the Lord”.
Irmos: Of old Israel walked over the billows of the Red Sea, and Moses, stretching out his hands in the form of the Cross, overthrew the might of Amalek in the wilderness.
Thy radiant memory is now worthily glorified in the Church, O hieromartyr father, and they adorn with song thy wondrous courage and greatness
Thou didst shine forth with the grace of shepherding, O God-wise one, and having adorned the Church with the shedding of thy blood as with purple, thou wast radiantly adorned with the crown of struggle
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
To thee, the divine shepherd, holy hieromartyr Dositheus, as to the boast of the Georgians, we offer a song of praise, and ask thy help in times of trial and affliction.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
In giving birth while remaining a virgin, Thou didst wondrously send us in the flesh the very Creator of all and Lord, O all-holy ever-virgin Mother.
Irmos: The Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, and thus she crieth: Thou art my hope; strengthen me, O Creator.
Thou didst spring from noble princes, and being brought up from thy youth in the teaching of piety, thou didst please God and multiply with wisdom the grace given by Him.
Desiring in thy heart to enter upon the arena of the monastic struggle, strengthened by truth and armed with the power of the Cross, thou didst follow the narrow and sorrowful way.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Being ordained a hieromonk for the glory of God, thou wast joined to His true servants, and diligently celebrating the holy Mysteries, thou didst instruct all with divine teaching.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We entreat Thee, O Mother of God, we who have fled to Thine intercession and shelter: ever deliver us from evil deception and make known to us the way of piety.
Deliver thy servants from dangers, O most holy Virgin Theotokos, for after God we all flee unto thee, as to an unbreakable wall and protection.
Look upon us, O all-praised Theotokos, and heal the grievous wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our souls.
Being worthily ordained by Christ as shepherd of the rational sheep, thou didst preach the all-spotless faith of Orthodoxy and teach all to keep the commandments of God: now help us too before Him, that He may grant us to walk becomingly in this world.
Irmos: When the Church beheld the Sun of righteousness lifted up on the Cross, she stood in her proper rank and thus cried out: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.
Being learned in the divine law, thou didst hand it on to others too, and instructing them with the teaching of Christ, O blessed one, thou didst take captive the minds of many into obedience to Him.
The word and teaching of Christ became thy rudder and helmsman, O saint; thou didst attain the perfection of the virtues and didst labour day by day for His glory.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When God saw the uprightness of thy soul, He seated thee as hierarch on the royal throne of Kutaisi, O blessed one, and thou didst shepherd the rational flocks well.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O unwedded Virgin, after giving birth thou wast found still remaining a virgin; therefore with faith we confess thee as Theotokos with unceasing lips.
Irmos: Thou, O Lord, art the Light that cometh into the world, who enlightenest the hearts of Thy faithful that worship Thee.
When thou wast made Metropolitan of Kutaisi, O holy Dositheus, thy fervent prayer and good works led thine episcopate like an unwaning light.
Becoming shepherd of the flocks of Christ God, thou didst tend and instruct them as our Saviour taught His apostles, and didst rebuke the priests of falsehood.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
We call thee blessed as the good shepherd and teacher of the Imeretians, who didst ever nourish widows, orphans and the poor and didst comfort all who mourn and the infirm.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The mind of men and of angels cannot tell of thine all-glorious and ineffable giving birth, O all-holy one.
Irmos: With song and the voice of rejoicing Thy Church praiseth Thee, O Christ, having been cleansed by that blood which flowed from Thy divine and holy side.
Being appointed locum tenens of the catholicosal throne of Abkhazia, thou didst spread divine teachings in that region and blot out the deception of superstition.
When Christ entrusted to thee the patriarchal throne, thou didst bear thy cross wisely, O thrice-blessed one, and didst become like the patriarchs of old in struggle.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having zeal for the right faith and for the spreading of love, thou didst appear as the spiritual guide of thy people, O blessed one, and didst show us the way of piety.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Rend the bonds of my sins, O Bride of God, who by the law of life grantest freedom from the law of sin, thou who didst bear the King of the law.
Unshaken pillar of the Church, divine hierarch Dositheus, shelter by thy prayer us who sing thy glorious memory.
Now the assembly of the faithful, recalling thy struggle, exulteth, and asketh thine intercession with God, that He may drive from us the darkness of ignorance that cometh from sin, and clothe with dispassion, faith and joy all, O worthy one, who honour thy glorious memory.
Irmos: The Abrahamic youths, bound by the magi for the divine laws, were cast into the furnace, and in the flame they cried: Blessed art Thou, O God, in the temple of Thy holiness.
Exalting the true faith of the Orthodox, thou didst proclaim sweet teachings like an organ, and didst instil in the heart of thy people love for their native land, and didst perfect them in the virtues.
Being a most learned hierarch, thou didst set up a printing press and begin printing liturgical books in the Georgian tongue, and didst restore those ancient manuscripts and charters.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Beautifully restoring and adorning churches and monasteries, O all-praised one, thou didst appear as a consolation to monks and clergy, granting them all that was needful for their life.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The heavenly ranks and the assemblies of the bodiless sing to Him who was born of Thee, O Virgin Theotokos, immaculate one, and cry unceasingly: Blessed art Thou, O God, in the temple of Thy holiness.
Irmos: Stretching out his hands, Daniel tamed the beasts in the den, and the three youths quenched the flame of the fire through God, and, made wise, they fearlessly cried: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord.
ხედვიდი რაჲ ივერთა ეკლესიისა და ერისა დამცრობასა რუსთაგან, ფრიად მჭმუნვარებდი, ყოვლად ნეტარო, და სამწყსოსა შენსა შთაუსახავდი გულსა შინა სიყუარულსა ღმრთისა და მამულისასა.
არცაღა ჰრიდებდი ეგზარხოსსა, რამეთუ ქართულსა ენასა და გალობასა იძულებითა გარდასცვლიდენ რუსულსა ზედა ეკლესიასა შინა, და მართლ-ქადაგებითა შენითა ამხელდი ბოროტსა მძლავრებასა მათსა.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
მოღუაწებამან შენმან, წმიდაო, ეფთჳმისა თანა გაენათელისა, განამჴნო ერი იმერთაჲ წინააღდგომად მძლავრთა მათ დამპყრობელთა და განამტკიცა ზრახუაჲ მათი სამეფოჲსა თჳსისა აღდგენისაჲ.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
With the angels all rejoice at thy giving birth who with faith call thee Theotokos, O all-holy one, for thou didst bear for us the King and Saviour, to whom we sing: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord.
Irmos: The cornerstone was cut without hands from thee, O unhewn mountain, O Virgin: Christ, who joined the natures together; wherefore we the faithful, rejoicing, worthily magnify thee.
When thou hadst greatly multiplied thine enemies, O saint, they seized thee dishonourably, and dragged and tormented thee bound; but thou didst resist valiantly and rebuke their lawlessness and tyranny.
ჟამსა მას გაენათელიცა შეიპყრეს და თავსა შთაგაცვეს რაჲ ვაშკარანი, ორთავე ეგე მჴცოვანნი მღდელთმთავარნი, ვითარცა ამბოხის-მოთავენი ექსორია-გყვეს რუსეთსა.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When thy killing on the way had been ordered, they mercilessly pierced thee with the sword, aged as thou wast, and secretly buried thy body in the church of Ananuri; but from the Lord thou didst receive that immortal life in the Kingdom.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
With faith we confess thee as the Mother of our God, O worthy one, and proclaim thee a holy Virgin; entreat Christ thy Son for us, that He may deliver from the enemy those who magnify thee.
The bodiless Light illumined thee, O blessed Dositheus; and when thou didst lay down thy life for thy flock, the Church of God put on thy martyr's blood, O saint, like a treasure of gold, and set it upon her head like a royal crown radiantly adorned with precious stones, that it may shine for all who enter her with joy and entreat thy help as a martyr of Christ God.
Glory… The same. Both now…
We confess thee truly as the Theotokos, O Lady, we who have been saved through thee, for thou didst ineffably bear God, who delivereth from death by the Cross and draweth to Himself the assembly of the venerable, with whom we praise thee, O Virgin.
— “Let every breath” — is sung.
— At the Praises, the stichera — on 8.
We offer thee this praise as a good shepherd and great hierarch, the helper of faithful authorities and armies and the deliverer of his flock from all alien teachings and lawlessness; therefore we hope in thy help before God, that He may shelter our people from the invasions of the enemy and keep the Church of the Georgians unshaken.
We adorn thee with praises, the great father and hierarch who appeared like a star radiant with God, for thou didst shine like a lamp upon a high lampstand and becamest a burning lamp in Likht-Imereti, Odishi-Guria and Abkhazia, and like a pillar of light to our people, the lot of the Theotokos; and having thee as our intercessor with God, we entreat thee for deliverance from all evils and sorrows.
We adorn thee with a song of praise, O most sacred Dositheus, as a valiant soldier of Christ who exalted our right and true faith, and as the boast of the Georgians, and we entreat thine intercession with God, as the swift helper and invincible protector and intercessor of all the Orthodox, that He may drive from us the darkness of ignorance that cometh from sin, and shelter us from the snare of the enemy and from enmity among brethren.
As thy courage and valour are praised by the Church of the Georgians, behold, the land of Imereti now boasteth and maketh merry, O blessed Dositheus, for in it thou didst spring up as a good shepherd; thou didst lay down thy holy soul for thy flock and didst receive from God in heaven the crown of victory: intercede now with Him, that He may gather His scattered sheep in unity into His folds and exalt the horn of the Orthodox faithful.
Thy radiant memory is glorified in the Church, for, filled with love for the kings and for thy people, thou wast zealous in the service of God: now commend us too to His goodness, that He may calm our hearts, shaken and defiled by the waves of the world, and deliver us from every evil.
Verse: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
Our people now rejoiceth, and the monastery of Ananuri, which treasureth thy holy relics, maketh merry, and many faithful hasten this day into her bosom to magnify the great adornment of the Georgians, the sweet father and teacher of our people, and to cry out with a loud voice: “Make the righteous Judge, the Lord, merciful to us, O blessed one, that we may be strengthened and quickened in soul and body and be able to resist deception.”
— Verse: “Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.”
შემოკრბით, ჵ, მორწმუნენო, და შესხმითა სულიერითა უგალობდეთ წმიდასა დოსითეოზ ქუთათელსა - ერისა ჩუენისათჳს ფრიად დამაშურალსა წინაშე ღმრთისა, ჴსნად განსაცდელთაგან და განრინებად ყოვლისაგან საცთურისა, და ვევედროთ, რაჲთა დაიფაროს მამული თჳსი - საქართველო - ყოვლისაგან ჭირისა და თანამბრძოლ გუეყოს ჩუენ მარადის წინააღდგომად მბრძოლისა, ჩუენ ზედა აღბორგებულისა და დაგვიცვას ყოვლისაგან საფრჴისა.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Come, O ye Georgian peoples, assemblies of fathers and choirs of monks with the hierarchs, rich and poor and people of every age, let us all praise in song the hieromartyr Dositheus of Kutaisi as the luminary of the Church of the Georgians, and let us pray that through his prayers the Lord may arm us with His invincible power against our countless enemies and save us, as the Lover of mankind. (Tone 5).
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Virgin Theotokos, thou art the true vine that brought forth the cluster of life; we entreat thee, O full of grace: together with the apostles intercede for the salvation of our souls.
— “The Great Doxology” — is sung.
— The troparion of the hierarch:
In the struggles of piety thou didst shine forth like a lamp and didst adorn thy holy vesture with virtues, O holy hierarch Dositheus: entreat Christ God to have mercy on our souls. (Twice)
— “Glory…”, “Both now…” — the resurrectional dismissal Theotokion (in the tone of the troparion):
The mystery hidden from eternity and unknown to the angels, O Theotokos, was revealed through thee to those on earth: God incarnate in unconfused union, who willingly accepted the Cross for our sake, and thereby raised up the first-formed and saved our souls from death.
— The troparion of the hieromartyr.
— The kontakion of the hieromartyr.
The Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom:
— “The Typika antiphons” — during the singing of the Beatitudes are inserted
“In Thy Kingdom remember us” — on 8:
— from Ode 3 of the venerable one — 4 troparia (with the irmos).
— from Ode 6 of the venerable one — 4 troparia, with their own “Glory…” and “Both now…”.
— Prokeimenon, Tone 7: Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Verse: Sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints.
The Epistle — for hieromartyrs. —
Hebrews, section 334; ch. 13:7–16;
Alleluia, Tone 2: Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints rejoice.
The Gospel — Luke, section 67 — ch. 12:32–40.
Communion hymn: The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings.
At the entrance:
The troparion — of the hieromartyr
Kontakia — “Glory” — of the hierarch.
Both now… — “O hope and refuge…”
“Prokeimenon”: “The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in Him.” (Tone 7).
Verse: “Hear my voice, O God.”
“Alleluia”: “Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness.” (Tone 4).
Communion hymn: The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings.
The service was compiled by Tinatin Mchedlishvili.
