You ascended from the darkness and sorrow of material things,
and went to dwell in spiritual light, holy John:
Give me light through your intercessions to the Lord.

You were suckled on the sweetness of abstinence,
and cast away the bitterness of sensual indulgence.
Therefore, Father, you give us pleasure sweeter than honey and the honeycomb!

You rejected the pleasures that creep in the dust,
and ascended to the height of virtues, holy Father.
Thus you became the sweetness of salvation to your flock.

Theotokion
You ineffably bore the Word and Wisdom of the Father:
Heal the harsh wounds of my soul and still the anguish of my heart!

Katavasia: I will open my mouth, filled with the Spirit;
I will sing a song to the queen and mother!
I will come rejoicing in the feast,
And i will extol all her glory!

Canticle three:


First Canon

Irmos: Establish Us By Your Power, O God...

Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

Christ, as I walk on the path of life,
I am gravely wounded by thieves through my passions:
I pray that You will raise me up.

Thieves have robbed my mind and left me half dead.
I am wounded by my sins, but heal me, Lord.

My passions have stripped me bare of Your commandments, Christ,
and I have been scourged by sensual pleasures,
but pour oil on my wounds, O Savior.

Theotokion
Pray without ceasing, pure Bride of God,
to the One who came forth from your womb,
that those who sing your praises may be delivered from the deceit of the devil.

Second Canon

Irmos: You are the strong support of those who run to you...

Holy father John, pray to God for us!

You burnt up the thorns of the passions
with the fiery coal of your ascetic warfare, holy one,
giving warmth with your fervor to all who follow the monastic life.

You became the myrrh of sanctification
through your ascetic labors, holy one.
You were offered up as a sweet smelling incense to God.

You drowned the waters of the passions through your tears
as you gave heed to the laws of the ascetic life,
as the soldiers of Pharaoh were once drowned in the Red Sea.

Theotokion
Check the restless tumult of my thoughts,
and guide me to your Son, pure Mother of God!

Katavasia: In your divine glory, Theotokos,
Living and inexhaustible fountain,
Spiritually establish your choir, assembled in chorus.
In your mercy make them worthy of the crowns of glory!

Sessional hymn
Tone 5

With your holy cross as our weapon of salvation,
We cry aloud to you, our Savior:
You have willingly suffered for our sake:
Save us in your great mercy, O God of all!

Glory...

Tone 4

You went to dwell in the heights of heaven,
Shining with the glory of the virtues.
You entered the boundless depths of contemplation;
You exposed to mockery all the snares of the demons,
Protecting mankind from their cruel violence,
And now, John, ladder of the virtues,
You intercede for the salvation of your servants.

Now and ever...

Theotokion
He who is enthroned upon the Cherubim
And dwells in the bosom of the Father,
Rests incarnate on your bosom, O Lady,
As upon his holy throne!
As God he is the ruler of all nations,
And with understanding we now sing to him.
Pray to him for the salvation of your servants!


Canticle four:

First Canon

Irmos:I have heard the good news of the might of your cross...

Glory to you, our God, glory to you!

Thieves have taken from me my Godly deeds,
leaving me chastised and in agony.

My unstable thoughts have stripped me bare of Your commandments, O Savior,
and I have been scourged by my transgressions.

The Levite, when he saw me wounded,
passed by on the other side,
but save me, O Savior!

Theotokion
We rightly glorify you, O Theotokos,
taking refuge with all the faithful beneath your protection.

Second Canon

Irmos: O Lord, I have heard the mystery of your dispensation...

Holy father John, pray to God for us!

You are a fragrant meadow and a living paradise of the virtues,
producing abundantly the fruit of abstinence
which gives nourishment to all who honor you.

You are truly a giver of the law like Moses,
a meek and gentle ruler like David
for all who follow the ascetic and monastic life.
Therefore we bless you, Father John.

Planted by the waters of abstinence, blessed Father,
you have become a fruitful vine, bearing the grapes of true sanctity.

Theotokion
Mother of God, you bore for us in time
the One who shone forth timelessly from the Father.
Entreat Him to save those who sing your praises!

Katavasia: The counsel of God cannot be examined:
The most high was incarnate from a Virgin!
The prophet Habakkuk foresaw this and cried:
Glory to your power, O God!

Canticle five:


First Canon

Irmos: Watching early in the morning we cry to you...

Glory to you, our God, glory to you!

Jesus, bind up the wounds of my soul,
as the Samaritan bound the wounds of the man who fell among thieves,
and heal my pain, I pray, O Christ.

My soul is sick and in agony,
scourged by my transgressions, O Christ.
I lie naked and bereft of the divine virtues;
but I beseech You, save me.

When the priest and the Levite saw me,
they could not help me,
but passed me by on the other side.
But in Your compassion
You have given me salvation and kept me from harm.

Theotokion
My mind has been painfully scourged by thieves,
but I entreat You, O Master,
do not despise me in my wretchedness,
but take pity on me, O Savior,
at the intercessions of Your Mother.

Second Canon

Irmos: Never-setting light...

Holy father John, pray to God for us!

You quenched all the passions with the dew of your ascetic struggles,
kindling the lamp of abstinence
with the fire of love and faith, Father.
You are a dispassionate light and a child of the day!

With divine husbandry, Father, you tended the grapes of faith,
you gathered them into the winepress and pressed them out,
by the labors of ascetic warfare.
Filling the spiritual cup of abstinence,
you rejoice the heart of your flock!

You courageously endured the assaults and wounds of the enemy:
You are a firm pillar, supporting your flock, blessed Father,
guiding your sheep with the staff of God,
feeding them in green pastures beside the waters of abstinence.

Theotokion
Virgin, as you foretold, we call you blessed,
for the Lord has truly done great things for you and magnified you!
He who was born from your womb has made you the true Mother of God!

Katavasia: All creation was awed by your divine glory,
For you, Virgin, knew no man, yet bore the God of all.
You held in your womb the eternal son
Who grants peace to those who extol you in song.

Canticle six:

First Canon

Irmos: The Deep Surrounded Me...

Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

Master, I have wasted my God-given life on the passions,
and I am fiercely scourged in every member by my transgressions;
but I turn to You for refuge and pray:
Have compassion on me.

Scourging my mind with the passions,
thieves have seized my wealth and left me as dead.
But have compassion on me, and save me, O Lord.

When the Levite saw how painfully I was scourged,
he was unable to endure the sight of my wounds
and he passed me by on the other side.
But in Your love You have poured out Your rich mercy on me.

Theotokion
We rightly glorify you as the Bush unconsumed by fire,
the Fountain, the living Ladder and the Gate of Heaven,
glorious Mary, the pride of the Orthodox!

Second Canon

Irmos: Be Merciful To Me, O Savior...

Holy Father John, Pray To God For Us!

You received the divine wealth of the Spirit in your soul:
blameless prayer, chastity and purity
with unceasing watchfulness and the labors of abstinence.
Through these you became a dwelling place of God.

You passed by the worthless joys of this material world, wise Father,
raising your mind on the wings of immaterial prayer.
Through the perfection of your life
you received an inheritance on high.

You quenched the fiery darts of the enemy
with the sweat of your ascetic toil;
kindling the fire of faith,
you burnt up the proud insolence of unbelief and heresy!

Theotokion
The majesty of the Most High has shone forth from Zion!
He has put on flesh from you O Virgin, in an ineffable union,
and has brought light to the world.

Katavasia: Let us, believers, clap our hands in gladness,
Fulfilling the most precious feast.
By knowing God through the Theotokos,
Let us glorify him who was born of her.

Kontakion
Tone 4

The Lord truly set you on the heights of abstinence,
To be a guiding star,
Showing the way to the universe, our Father and teacher John.

Ikos
You truly made yourself a house of God, O Father, adorned with faith, hope and true love through your divine virtues, shining from a distance as with gold. You explained the laws of God, and practiced abstinence as though you were bodiless. You gained wisdom, courage, chastity and humility, and were raised to the heights. Illumined with unceasing prayer, you attained the dwelling places of heaven, Our Father And Teacher John!

Canticle seven:


First Canon

Irmos: The Highly Exalted Lord Of Our Fathers...

Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

Thieves fell upon me, a poor wretch,
And scourging me, left me a lifeless corpse.
Therefore I pray to You: Come to my help.

My restless thoughts have robbed my mind,
And scourging me through the passions, have left me dead,
Because of the multitude of my transgressions.
But heal me, O Savior

When the Levite saw me, injured and in pain,
He thought my wounds incurable
And unable to endure the sight of them,
He passed by on the other side.
But heal me, my Savior.

Theotokion
Taking flesh from the Virgin, O Christ,
You saved me, pouring the oil of Your rich mercy on my wounds.
Therefore I glorify You.

Second Canon

Irmos: The Children Of Judea, Who Dwelt Of Old In Babylon...

Holy Father John, Pray To God For Us!

You led your flock to pasture, Father,
In the green meadows of the heavenly kingdom:
With the rod of true dogma you drove away the beasts of heresy
Singing aloud: Blessed are You, O God of our Fathers!

You entered into the joy of the heavenly bridal chamber of Christ the King,
Clothed in a garment worthy of Him who called you to the feast.
As you are seated beside Him you cry aloud:
Blessed are You, O God of our Fathers!

You are a river of abstinence, Father, free from the pollution of sin,
Washing clean the thoughts and purging away the filth of those who cry out in faith:
Blessed are You, O God of our Fathers!

Theotokion
The Lord of all came forth from your womb,
Taking flesh from you, O Virgin.
Therefore with true Orthodox faith we honor you as the Theotokos,
And we cry to your Son: Blessed are You, O God of our Fathers!

Katavasia: The Godly youths worshipped the Creator, not the creature;
Manfully they trampled on the flames, singing in joy:
Blessed are You, most praised Lord God of our fathers!

Canticle eight:

First Canon

Irmos: For You, The Creator Of All...

Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

Robbed by my thoughts, scourged by my transgressions,
I have ruined my life, O Savior,

And I have been stripped of Your divine image.
But take pity on me, O God, the Lover of mankind.

You came down on the earth from on high, O Savior, taking pity on me,
For I was wounded in every member by my many offences,
And there was none to heal me,
But You have saved me in Your mercy.

Master, You gave Your body and soul as a ransom for me
when I was wounded in every member by the scourging of sin,
pouring out the oil of Your mercy on me, O compassionate Christ.

Theotokion
Virgin, at the word of the God-Man,
you bore the Lord in ways past understanding yet remained inviolate.
With all His works we bless you and exalt you above all forever!

Second Canon

Irmos: The King Of Heaven...

Holy Father John, Pray To God For Us

We have a true living pillar and image of abstinence in you,
And we all honor your memory, Father John.

The assembly of monks rejoices,
While the gathering of saints and the righteous dance with gladness:
For you have received a crown with them as your just reward.

Adorned with the virtues,
you have entered the bridal chamber of ineffable glory,
singing the praises of Christ for ever.

Let Us Bless The Father And The Son And The Holy Spirit, The Lord: Now And Ever And Unto Ages Of Ages. Amen.

Yielding by my own free choice to the passions of sensual pleasure,
I have not kept Your commandments, Master;
I have been stripped of grace, and I lie wounded and naked.
Therefore I pray to You: Save me, O Savior!

The Levite could not cleanse my wounds,
but You came to me in Your compassion, loving Savior,
and poured out on me the oil of Your mercies.
As the best of all physicians, You have healed me.

You took pity on me and saved me,
my Savior and compassionate Christ,
when I was painfully scourged by thieves.
And for the two pieces of silver,
You gave Your soul and body as a ransom for me.

Theotokion
Your childbearing is past our understanding, Mother of God.
for you conceived without man,
and gave birth in virginity.
The Child you bore is God
and magnifying Him, we call you blessed!

Second Canon

Irmos: With All Peoples Let Us Honor And Glorify...

Holy Father John, Pray To God For Us!

Blessed one of God,
you are a physician to those who are sick through sin,
you are an expeller of evil spirits,
and therefore we also call you blessed.

You have left the earth, the dwelling place of corruption,
going to live in the land of the meek and gentle, Father,
and rejoicing with them in the blessings of God.

Today is a festival calling together all of the monastic flock,
inviting us all to share in a feast of spiritual rejoicing
with the food of a sinless life.

Theotokion
He who took up his dwelling in you, all-blameless Lady,
has overthrown the murderer
who maliciously brought down our first parents.
Christ has been born, and has saved us all!

Katavasia: Let every earthborn mortal be radiant
And spiritually leap for joy;
Let the ranks of angelic powers celebrate
Honoring the holy feast of the mother of God and crying:
Rejoice, pure and blessed ever-Virgin, who gave birth to God!

Hymn of Light

(Of the Resurrection)

Glory...

Righteous John of eternal memory,
You turned away from earthly wealth,
And afflicting your body with abstinence,
You renewed the power of your soul,
Enriching it with heavenly glory.
Therefore you never cease to intercede for us.


Now and ever...

Theotokion
Lady, we are saved through you
And we acknowledge you to be in truth the Theotokos,
For you gave birth ineffably to God
Who destroyed death by the cross,
Calling to himself the assemblies of saints:
With them, we praise you, O Virgin!

The Praises

(8 Stikhera of the Resurrection)

Verse: Arise, O Lord my God, lift up Your hand; do not forget Your poor forever!

Tone 1

Come, let us labor in the mystical vineyard,
Cultivating there the fruits of repentance.
Let us not spend ourselves in food and drink,
But reap virtues with fasting and prayer,
For these the master of labor accepts,
Giving for them the money through which he redeems our souls from the debt of sin,
For he alone is all compassionate!

Glory...

Come, Let Us Labor...

Now and ever...
Tone 2

You Are Most Blessed...