Our Venerable Father Paisios the Athonite
Service of Matins
Chanted on the 12th of July
Chanted on the 12th of July
Composed by Metropolitan Joel of Edessa
Kathisma
Tone 1. Your tomb O Savior.
As the fathers of old, revered one, you lived the grace of Christ, and you became the friend, of irrational beasts, birds and serpents, whence all those who saw you, godly-minded one, were astonished, and they sang hymns, venerable one, to the Almighty Word.
Theotokion. The same.
Your revered icon, of the awesome Protection, Paisios, the Mother of the Master, you possessed, and you saw venerable one, towards the heights and beheld, her brilliance, illuminating all things, wherefore intercede, continuously with the Virgin, for our souls.
Tone 3. The beauty.
The much-wondrous, revered Paisios, who overpowered, the pride of the dragon, and the pleasures of the flesh, shattering them through asceticism, the guard of Athos, and the offspring of Farasa, being a benefactor, through your manifold wonders, to the multitude of faithful Orthodox, who are inspired to honor you.
Theotokion. The Same.
The ever-virgin, Mistress and Lady, the most beautiful, of the race of mortals, sweetest Paisios, you beheld her countenance, venerable one, in your hut in Athos, and you venerated her, most-happy one, wherefore do not hesitate with her, Father, to intercede for us.
After the Polyeleos. Kathisma.
Tone Pl. 4. The Wisdom and Word.
You are seen as a pedagogue of the youth, and a healer of people addicted to drugs, expertly healing, those with wanton sins, by your prayers, showing yourself, a most-excellent healer, and for those who ask, a path of salvation, you know Father, how to precisely lead, and have become a walking stick, to all Paisios, God-illumined ascetic, wherefore in Souroti the faithful, rejoice to venerate, at your grave, and are obligated to celebrate, reverently your memory.
Theotokion. The same.
On Sinai divine Paisios, beheld your holy countenance, as it is Virgin, and on the Mountain taught, the iconographers, to form it faithfully, and he preached, your abundant grace to all; whence Theotokos, do not fail to entreat, Christ continuously, for all your servants, who sing hymns to your Child, and all His saints, and to you also, pure one, and the venerable one who is honored, by all today.
The 1st antiphon of the 4th tone and the Prokeimenon.
Honorable before the Lord is the death of His venerable ones.
Verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord.
The Gospel of Matins is that of Saint Savvas (Dec. 5).
The 50th Psalm.
Glory. Through Your Venerable One.
Now and forever. Through the Theotokos.
Idiomelon. Tone Plag. 2.
The sound of your virtuous actions, has gone forth throughout the earth, Venerable Paisios; you who in the twentieth century, from the birth of the Savior, shined as a day star, and illumined the multitude of Orthodox, to know the will of the Lord; wherefore now also it reaches to the heavens, and having boldness, do not cease interceding, for our souls.
Kontakion
Tone Plag. 4. To you the champion leader.
The most-famed ascetic of the Holy Mountain, and the newly-shining luminary of the Church, let us praise him with hymns with all our heart, for he leads the faithful towards a life of excellence, filling them with rivers of gifts, therefore we cry out: Rejoice, Father Paisios.
Oikos
Like another angel, in these latter years, you appeared in Athos, Paisios, and you lived venerably on the earth, appearing to those you associated with, as an ascetic of the same stature with the ancients, so fervently we cry out to you the following:
Rejoice, divine child of Farasa;
Rejoice, great treasure of Athos;
Rejoice, inspired boast of Konitsa;
Rejoice, ornament of the cenobium of Souroti;
Rejoice, fountain of many springs of supernatural gifts;
Rejoice, ever-flowing energy of life-saving healings;
Rejoce, for you make famous the Monastery of Esphigmenou;
Rejoice, for you dwell on the mountain of Sinai;
Rejoice, leader of mortal modesty;
Rejoice, possessor of many graces;
Rejoice, deliverer healing troubles;
Rejoice, divine interpreter for male monastics;
Rejoice, Father Paisios.
Synaxarion
On the twelfth day of this month, we commemorate our Venerable Father Paisios the New the Athonite, who was perfected in peace in the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-four (1994).
Verses
Paisios, the tree of Mount Athos,
You were shown to be full of fruit, most-venerable one.
On the twelfth, Paisios reposed.
Venerable Paisios (Enzepidis), the much-wondrous and much-famed, was born in Farasa of Cappadocia on the 25th of July in 1924 from Christian parents, taking the name Arsenios after the venerable Arsenios of Cappadocia. Later he came with his parents to Greece, settling in Konitsa of Epirus, distinguishing himself as a child for his reverence and faith towards God. When he became a man he went to Athos and became a Monk, receiving the name Averkios at the prayer for the cassock-wearing, then during the prayer for the small schema he received the name Paisios. To occupy himself more with asceticism he went to Sinai. He settled in the Cell of Panagouda in Karyes of Athos, and many signs in his life were done through him. Furthermore, through his teachings he brought many to the correct path. He also became the spiritual guide of the Sacred Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Souroti. Towards the end of his life he became seriously ill, and having been perfected he was buried in the aforementioned Monastery on the 12th of July 1994. He has done many signs even after his venerable repose.
Through his holy intercessions, Christ God, have mercy and save us. Amen.
Exaposteilarion
Listen women.
Venerable Paisios, the celebration of the Holy Mountain, the overseer of Souroti, the guide of youths, through words and deeds, you secure and support them, let us honor you in song, singing inspired hymns, of your life and deeds.
Theotokion. The same.
Virgin glorified by God, the support of Christians, the awesome protection, of weak people, the restoration of the sick, and the strength of the suffering, the covering of the ecumene, we your servants, as with one voice, solemnly hymn you.
In the Praises we have 4 appointed verses and chant the following Prosomoia.
Tone Plag. 4. What she we call you holy ones.
What shall we name you venerable one? The offspring of Farasa, the treasure of Konitsa, the guide of Souroti, and the ascetic of Sinai, the majestic ornament of Athos, the model towards imitation of Greece, Paisios glorified by God, and boast of the world, entreat that our souls be saved.
What shall we call you Paisios? The father of youths, the brilliant initiator, the anointer of monastics, towards your mighty wonders, the sick have a most precise physician, the scatterer and fighter of demons, in these latter years, you appeared as equal in stature, with men of old, teachers of our souls.
How shall we speak of you Paisios? The deliverer of addicted men, redeeming them from drugs, manifestor of internal matters, the producer of the faithful, the most-wondrous educator of the atheists, the support and great courage of the wretched, you lived as an ascetic, and received supernatural graces, our most worthy holy father.
God-bearing Father Paisios, on behalf of all the faithful, who fervently hymn you, do not cease to fervently entreat Christ; you have acquired boldness before the Lord, and bear, an abundance of graces venerable one, foresight and healing, alleviating the hurting, in body and soul, ever-blessed one.
Glory. Tone Plag. 1.
Venerable Father Paisios, throughout the land of Greece, and everywhere throughout the ecumene, the sound of your virtuous actions has gone forth; as an angel in the flesh, from Athos, the life-giving teachings of the Gospel, were preached by you throughout the earth, which took place, through your life and deeds; the model of monastics, teacher of those in the world, pedagogue of youth, defender of the revered, and friend of all. Wherefore we also humbly ask you holy one, cease not to intercede to the Lord, for our souls.
Now and forever. Theotokion.
The heavens hymn you, unwedded Mother full of grace, and we glorify, your inscrutable birth-giving; Theotokos intercede, that our souls be saved.
Great Doxology and Dismissal.
At the Divine Liturgy
The Beatitudes.
And from the Canon of the Saint the 3rd and 6th odes.
The Epistle and Gospel is that of the 5th of December (Saint Savvas).
Communion Hymn
The memory of the just is eternal.
Megalynarion
Rejoice, the communicant with the Venerables, the pride of Athos, the adornment of monastics. Rejoice, the new teacher of the Church, godly-minded Paisios, our boast.
Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
For a PDF print out of this text, click on the button below that says PRINT/PDF.
The above is a rough draft text.
Temporarily absent from the above translation is the Canon to Saint Paisios, which can be seen in the Greek text. There is also an English translation of the Canon at this link: http://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs/h/s/2015/07/12/ma2/gr-en/index.html
Temporarily absent from the above translation is the Canon to Saint Paisios, which can be seen in the Greek text. There is also an English translation of the Canon at this link: http://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs/h/s/2015/07/12/ma2/gr-en/index.html