Hymns of the Greek Church

φῶς ἱλαρὸν ἁγίας δόξης

By Athenogenes, 296 A.DILight serene of holy gloryFrom the Immortal Father poured,Holy Thou, O Blessed Jesus,Holy, Blessed, Christ the Lord.IINow we see the sun descending,Now declines the evening light,And in hymns we praise the Father,Son and Spirit, God of Might.IIIWorthy of unending praises,Christ the Son of God art Thou;For Thy gift of life eternal,See the world adores Thee now.

ἀνάστασιν Χριστοῦ θεασάμενοι

IWe have heard the wondrous storyOf the Resurrection morn;We have seen its matchless glory,Christ the risen Lord adorn.Let us worship and adore Him,Let us now fall down before Him.IIMen with erring sinners found Thee,Found the only sinless One;And upon a Cross they bound Thee,For the good that Thou hadst done;Come, upon the Cross adore Him,Let us now fall down before Him.IIIWe have heard the wondrous storyOf the Resurrection day, —Christ our God, to Him be glory,For He casts death’s bands away.Let us worship and adore Him,Come and let us fall before Him.IVCome, ye faithful, come with gladness,To your God thanksgiving pay;For the Cross was shorn of sadnessOn the Resurrection day.Let us worship and adore Him,Come and let us bow before Him.

εἰ καὶ ἐν τάφῳ κατῆλθες ἀθάνατε

(κοντάκιον, Ἦχος πλ. δ1)

By St. John of Damascus, 780 A.DIWhen, O King Immortal,Thou didst seek the gloom,Tasting death in meekness,Resting in the tomb —On that dark and woful day,Hades owned Thy kingly sway.IIVictor! now we hail Thee,Hail Thee Christ our God;Thou hast burst the barrierOf Thy dark abode;On that glad and glorious day,Hades owned Thy kingly sway.IIIThey who bore the spicesIn the early hour,Heard the salutationOf the Lord of power,And His followers, sore and sad,Found the peace that made them glad.IVHail the King Immortal!Death by death is slain,And the weak and fallenRise to life again;On this glad and glorious dayHades owns the Victor’s sway.

Ἰδοὺ ὁ Νυμφιὸς ἔρχεται ἐν τῷ μέσῳ τῆς νυκτός

(τροπάρια)

IBehold the Bridegroom comethAt the hour of midnight drear,And blest be he who watchethWhen his Master shall appear,But woe betide the careless oneAsleep when He is near!IIO soul of mine, bestir theeLest thou sink in slumber quite,And the Bridegroom find thee sleepingWhen He cometh in His might.Awake, awake to praises,For He cometh in the night.IIIThat fearful day approacheth,Then live, O soul, aright,And watch the hour, and trim thy lampAnd keep it burning bright,Lest the voice be heard, ‘He cometh!’In the middle of the night.IVBeware when slumber binds thee,Lest the Bridegroom pass thee by,And thou knock without in darkness,And for grief and anguish cry;Take thy lamp, with oil, and trim it,For the hour is drawing nigh.

ἔργῳ, ὡς πάλαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐπηγγείλω

(τροπάρια)

By St. Cosmas, died 760 A.DIO Jesus, Lover of our race,How rich the promise of Thy graceTo Thy disciples made, —A holy Paraclete to send,To succour, comfort, and befriendWith His inspiring aid.IIOn earth the light is shining clear,The Holy Comforter is here,To all the faithful given;And now, what prophets long foretold,In all His fulness we beholdThe Spirit sent from heaven.

ταχεῖαν καὶ σταθηρὰν δίδου παραμυθίαν τοῖς δούλοις σου

IO Jesus, to Thy servants giveThe consolation they require;And when the cloud of trouble falls,With heavenly hope their souls inspire.Be ever near us, Christ, to blessAnd help us in Thy faithfulness.IIAs Thou wert with Thy saints of old,Be with us, ever present, Lord;Unite us to Thyself, we pray,As Thou hast promised by Thy word;Then we shall glorify and laudThe Holy Spirit sent by God.

δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν αὐτῷ

(κοντάκιον)

IIt is a comely thingTo glorify and praiseOur God, the Everlasting Word,And Lord of endless days.IIThe trembling cherubimBefore Him fold their wings,And all the heavenly hosts adoreThe mighty King of kings.IIIWe would our offering give, —O Christ, to Thee we pray,For Thou didst break the bands of deathWhen dawned the glorious day.IVTo Thee, Thou Three in One,Ascend our songs divine;One power, one kingdom without end,And one dominion Thine.VO Christ, the source of light,With light my soul inspire;Come, make my heart the bright abodeOf Thy celestial fire.

Δεῦτε λαοὶ, τὴν τρισυπόστατον θεότητα προσκυνήσωμεν

By the Emperor Leo VI., died 911 A.DICome ye people, come adore Him,God in Holy Trinity;God the Father, Son, and Spirit,Ever Blessed Unity.IIThine the glory, God Almighty,To the Son and Spirit given,Ere upon the world’s creationDawned the new-born light of heaven.IIIHoly, holy, we adore Thee,One in power, in nature one;God the Father, God the Spirit,God the Co-Eternal Son.IVBy the Son the wide creationRose where chaos held its sway;By the Spirit, God AlmightySwept eternal night away.VSon, the Father’s love revealing,Son, through whom the Spirit came,Blessed Godhead! endless gloryBe to Thine exalted name.

ὅταν ἔλθῃς ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ γῆς

(κοντάκιον Ἦχος α′)

IWhen Thou shalt come, O Lord,Wrapt in Thy glory bright,Then shall the earth in terror quake,The sun withhold his light.IIWhen Thou shalt come, O Lord,Then to Thy judgment-bar,Even as a mighty stream, shall flowThe sons of men from far.IIIWhen Thou shalt come, O Lord,Then shall the books be spread,And from their secrets Thou shalt judgeThe living and the dead.IVWhen Thou shalt come, O Lord,Then save me by Thy power,Let not the flames of wrath o’ertakeThy servant in that hour.VWhen Thou shalt come, O Lord,In mercy let me stand —No guilt upon my conscience laid —Approved, at Thy right hand.

CANON FOR EASTER DAY BY ST. JOHN OF DAMASCUS

ST. JOHN OF DAMASCUS

John of Damascus is by far the most prominent and most poetical of all the Greek Christian poets. He dwelt for many years in his native city of Damascus, a valiant champion of orthodoxy against all comers. His influence on Greek hymnody was immense, and he is held in high esteem by the Greek Church for his work in that department, and as a theologian. The Octoechos, which contains the Ferial Office, was, it is said, arranged by John of Damascus. There his Canons are found, which are perhaps his greatest work in hymnody. John retired eventually to the monastery of Mar Saba, where he spent a life of devotion, and sang those Christian hymns which have cheered and inspired so many generations of Christians in the East. There he penned the ‘Golden Canon’ for Easter Day, which breathes the glorious hopes of the Resurrection.

Ὠδὴ Α′

ἀναστάσεως ἡμέρα λαμπρυνθῶμεν λαοί·

ὁ ΕἱρμόςHail the Resurrection day!Let the people shout for gladness;’Tis a passover of joy, —Let us banish every sadness;For, from death to endless life,Christ our God His people bringeth;As from earth to heaven we rise,Each his song of triumph singeth.τροπάριονFrom our eyes the veil remove,That we may, in light transcending,See the risen Lord of Life,Life to all in grace extending.Let our ears His voice perceive;To His accents kind attending,We would hear ‘All hail!’ and sing,Every voice in triumph blending.Let the heavens above rejoice,Let the earth take up the measure;All the world, and all therein,Join the festival of pleasure;All things visible uniteWith invisible in singing;For the Christ is risen indeed,Everlasting gladness bringing.

Ὠδὴ Γ′

Δεῦτε πόμα πίωμεν καινόν

ὁ ΕἱρμόςCome, let us drink the water new,Not from the rock divinely springing,But from that pure immortal streamThat from His tomb our Lord is bringing.τροπάριονAll things in earth and heaven aboveAre filled with light that shines supernal;So all creation keeps this feast,For He hath risen, the King eternal.With Thee, O Christ, I lay entombed,Ere light upon this day was falling;With Thee I leave death’s dark abode,For Thou hast risen, and Thou art calling.With Thee upon the Cross I hungWhen Thou wast faint, and weak, and sighing;Lord, with Thyself Thy servant bless,In Thy bright realm through years undying

Ὠδὴ Δ′

ἐπὶ τῆς θείας φυλακῆς

ὁ ΕἱρμόςProphet of the Lord, beside us,1Now upon the watch-tower stand;Let us see the light-clad angelEarthward come at God’s command,Telling of His power to save,Who hath risen from the grave.τροπάριονHe was born of Virgin Mother,Lamb of God on whom we feed;Free from every spot, and blameless,Yea, a Passover indeed:Very God His wondrous claim,And Perfection is His name.As a yearling lamb He suffered,He, our Blessed, saving Crown;That He might from vileness cleanse us,Freely was His life laid down;Now, with beauty in our eyes,See the glorious Sun arise.As the ark was borne in triumph,David leaped with gladness then;Now before the Type’s fulfilmentWe should joy as holier men;For, omnipotent to save,Christ hath left the dismal grave.

Ὠδὴ Ε′

ὀρθρίσωμεν ὄρθροι βαθεός

ὁ ΕἱρμόςEre the morn in beauty wake,Let us seek the Saviour’s tomb, —Not with ointment and perfume,But with songs the silence break;We shall see the Christ appear,Sun of Righteousness to cheer.τροπάριονThey who dwell in death’s abode,Bound with fetters dark and cold,Shall the Saviour’s love behold;They shall hail the light of day,And their gladsome foot employIn this festival of joy.Go ye forth amid the gloom,And with torches burning brightCheer the darkness of the night,Meet the Bridegroom at the tomb;Greet with songs of festal gleeHim who sets His people free.

Ὠδὴ ΣΤ′

κατῆλθες ἐν τοῖς κατωτάτοις

ὁ ΕἱρμόςTo depths of earth Thou didst descend,O Christ, to break the chainThat held the sons of men enslaved,And lead them forth again;As Jonah left the living grave,So cam’st Thou forth, O Christ, to save.τροπάριονUnbroken were the seals when ThouDidst leave the dismal tomb,Even as the virgin bars remainedWhen Thou didst leave the womb;And Thou hast ope’d the gates of heaven,And entrance free to all is given.O Thou, my Saviour and my God,Who camest from above,And gav’st Thyself for sinful menAn offering of love!Now, rising from the grave, we seeOur human race arise with Thee.

Ὠδὴ Ζ′

ὁ παῖδας ἐκ καμίνου ῥυσάμενος

ὁ ΕἱρμόςHe who in the fiery furnaceKept from harm the faithful three,Suffering in our mortal nature,Decks with life mortality, —Him, our fathers’ God, we praise,Blest and glorious always.τροπάριονHoly women bearing ointments,Sought the mortal, bathed in tears;But their sorrow changed to gladness,For the Living God appears;And they tell the news abroadOf the risen Son of God.Now we celebrate the triumph,Death and Hades overthrown,Earnest of a life unending;All the glory is Thine own;God, our fathers’ God, we praise,Blest and glorious always.Hallowed feast of holy gladness!Night that waits salvation’s birth,Till the Resurrection morningBreaks with splendour on the earth,And eternal light is pouredBy the Christ from death restored.

Ὠδὴ Η′

αὕτη ἡ κλητὴ καὶ ἁγία ἡμέρα

ὁ ΕἱρμόςThis is the chosen day of God,The brightest and the fairest,The Lady thou of all the feasts,The Queen of all, and rarest;Now let our songs of blessing soarTo Thee, O Christ, for evermore.τροπάριονO glorious Resurrection day!With fruit of vine the newest;Come, let us taste the heavenly draught,And joy with joy the truest;To Thee, O Christ, our praises soar,Who art our God for evermore.O Zion, lift thine eyes, beholdThe lights that shine around theeFrom east and west, and north and south,Thy children now surround thee;And in thy streets their praises soar,To Thee, O Christ, for evermore.Almighty Father! Word Divine!O spirit co-eternal!In persons three, in nature one,O God of power supernal!Baptized in Thee, our praises soar,And Thee we bless for evermore.

καὶ ψάλλεται ἡ Θ′ Ὠδή

φωτίζου φωτίζου, ἡ νέα Ἱερουσαλήμ·

ὁ ΕἱρμόςShine forth, O new Jerusalem!O Zion, shout with glee!For now the glory of the LordIs risen upon thee;O mother pure of God’s own Son,Rejoice – His victory is won!τροπάριονO dear and sweetest voice divine,O Christ, Thou wilt befriend,And lead Thy people safely onE’en to their journey’s end;Thy faithful people hear Thy voice,And in that steadfast hope rejoice.O Christ, our sacred Paschal feast,The Word, the might of God, —His wisdom most ineffableBy Thee is shed abroad;O may we feast on Thee for ayeIn Thy blest realm of endless day.

COLLECTS THE ECTENE AND THE LITANY OF THE DEACON

These Collects hold a most important place in the services of the Eastern Church. There are few offices in which they are not found imbedded. Their catholicity is most remarkable. The suffrages are peculiar to no church service, but common to all liturgies. The people share in them by responding ‘Lord have mercy’ at the end of each petition, and ‘Amen’ at the close.

ἘΚΤΕΝΗ OR GREAT COLLECT

ϓπὲρ τῆς ἄνωθεν εἰρήνης, καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν, τοῦ Κυρίου δεηθῶμεν

ILord, to our humble prayers attend,Let Thou Thy peace from heaven descend,And to our souls salvation send.Have mercy, Lord, upon us.IIRule in our hearts, Thou Prince of Peace,The welfare of Thy Church increase,And bid all strife and discord cease.Have mercy, Lord, upon us.IIITo all who meet for worship here,Do Thou in faithfulness draw near;Inspire with faith and godly fear.Have mercy, Lord, upon us.IVO let Thy priests be clothed with might,To rule within Thy Church aright,That they may serve as in Thy sight.Have mercy, Lord, upon us.VThe sovereign ruler of our land,Protect by Thine Almighty hand,And all around the throne who stand.Have mercy, Lord, upon us.VIIn time of war be near to aid,Strong be the arm for battle made,Prostrate be every foeman laid.Have mercy, Lord, upon us.VIILet clouds and sunshine bless the earth,Give fruits and flowers a timely birth,Our harvests crown with peaceful mirth.Have mercy, Lord, upon us.VIIILet voyagers by land and seaIn danger’s hour in safety be;The suffering and the captives free.Have mercy, Lord, upon us.IXAround us let Thy shield be cast,Till wrath and danger are o’erpast,And tribulation’s bitter blast.Have mercy, Lord, upon us.

κύριε ἐλέησον. Ἀντιλαβοῦ, σῶσον, ἐλέησον καὶ διαφύλαξον ἡμᾶς

Deacon. Let us complete our evening supplication to the Lord.Choir. Lord, have mercy upon us.IGod of all Grace, Thy mercy send;Let Thy protecting arm defend;Save us, and keep us to the end.Have mercy, Lord.IIAnd through the coming hours of night,Fill us, we pray, with holy light;Keep us all sinless in Thy sight.Grant this, O Lord.IIIMay some bright messenger abideFor ever by Thy servants’ side,A faithful guardian and guide.Grant this, O Lord.IVFrom every sin in mercy free,Let heart and conscience stainless be,That we may live henceforth for Thee.Grant this, O Lord.VWe would not be by care opprest,But in Thy love and wisdom rest; —Give what Thou seest to be best.Grant this, O Lord.VIWhile we of every sin repent,Let our remaining years be spentIn holiness and sweet content.Grant this, O Lord.VIIAnd when the end of life is near,May we, unshamed and void of fear,Wait for the Judgment to appear.Grant this, O Lord.

HYMNS FROM THE EARLY GREEK POETS NOT FOUND IN THE SERVICE-BOOKS OF THE GREEK CHURCH

ST. METHODIUS

Methodius, a prominent name in Ecclesiastical history, and a Father of the Church, was born about the middle of the third century. He was first of all Bishop of Olympus in Lycia, and, according to Jerome, became ultimately Bishop of Tyre. He combated certain views of Origen, but would seem to have been influenced not a little by the teaching of that great theologian.

In his principal work, The Banquet of the Ten Virgins, the hymn is found from which the following is a cento. It contains twenty-four strophes, each beginning with a letter of the Greek alphabet in alphabetical order, and ending with the same refrain.

Methodius is said to have suffered martyrdom under Diocletian about 311 A.D.

ἄνωθεν, παρθένοι, βοῆς ἐγερσίνεκρος ἦχος

IBehold the Bridegroom! Hark the cry,The dead, awaking, rends the sky!Go, virgins, He is near,Your lamps all burning clear;He enters where the rising lightAsunder bursts the gates of night.In holy garb, with lamp aglow,To meet the Bridegroom forth I go.IIThe smiles of earth that turn to tears,Its empty joys and foolish fearsI leave, for Thou dost call —Thou art my Life, my All;I would Thy beauty ever see,Then let me, Blessed, cling to Thee.In holy garb, with lamp aglow,To meet the Bridegroom forth I go.IIIFor Thee I leave the world behind —Thou art my Bliss, O Bridegroom kind;My beauty’s not mine own —’Tis Thine, O Christ, alone;Thy bridal-chamber I would see,In perfect happiness to be.In holy garb, with lamp aglow,To meet the Bridegroom forth I go.IVO God, exalted on Thy throne,Who dwell’st in purity unknown,Lo, now we humbly wait,Throw wide the Heavenly gate,And with the Bridegroom, of Thy grace,Give us at Thy right hand a place.In holy garb, with lamp aglow,To meet the Bridegroom forth I go.

ST. GREGORY

ST. GREGORY

Gregory of Nazianzus, son of Gregory, Bishop of Nazianzus, and life-long friend of Basil, Bishop of Caesarea, was born at Nazianzus, 325 A.D. He took up the priestly office at the earnest request of his father, and for some time was helpful to the aged bishop.

The times in which Gregory lived were trying times. The orthodox Christians clung to the creed of Nicea, and their champions did valiant battle with the Arians. As an advocate and exponent of evangelical truth, Gregory was summoned to Constantinople in 379, and as bishop of that See adorned the high position with gifts and graces as brilliant as they were rare. But he was not the man for such a position at such a time. Hilary, the ‘Hammer of the Arians,’ could keep the heretics at bay, and do in the Latin Church what Gregory could not do in the Greek Church – maintain his position and his cause against all comers. For one thing, the retiring disposition of Gregory inclined him to shrink from the din of conflict, and his high ideals weakened his hopefulness. The result was that he abandoned his position and retired to Nazianzus in 381. Deprived by death of his life-long friend, and of his brother Caesarius, to whom he was bound by more than brotherly love, he retired from the world and penned those poems, some of which are among the treasures of the Church Catholic. He died in 390.

The hymns of Gregory are found in the second volume of the Benedictine Edition of his works which was published in Paris in 1842. A selection can be seen in Daniel’s Thesaurus, and in the Anthologica Graeca, Carminum Christianorum.

ἄτερ ἀρχῆς, ἀπέραντον

Cento from σὲ τὸν ἄφθιτον μονάρχην

IO Light that knew no dawn,That shines to endless day,All things in earth and heavenAre lustred by Thy ray;No eye can to Thy throne ascend,Nor mind Thy brightness comprehend.IIThy grace, O Father, give,That I may serve in fear;Above all boons, I pray,Grant me Thy voice to hear;From sin Thy child in mercy free,And let me dwell in light with Thee.IIIThat, cleansed from filthy stain,I may meet homage give,And, pure in heart, beholdAnd serve Thee while I live;Clean hands in holy worship raise,And Thee, O Christ my Saviour, praise.IVIn supplication meekTo Thee I bend the knee;O Christ, when Thou shalt come,In love remember me,And in Thy kingdom, by Thy grace,Grant me a humble servant’s place.VThy grace, O Father, give,I humbly Thee implore;And let Thy mercy blessThy servant more and more.All grace and glory be to TheeFrom age to age eternally.

ταῦτά σοι ἡμετέροιο θαλύσια, Χριστὲ

Cento from χριστὲ ἄναξ, σὲ πρῶτον

IChrist, for Thee a wreath adorningWeaves my raptured soul with glee,For from death this glorious morningThou hast risen triumphantly.IIFrom the tomb behold Him rising,Christ our Lord whose praise is sung.Death is slain; O power surprising!Hades’ gates are open flung.IIIThou for man to earth in meeknessCam’st that he new born might be;Thou upon the cross in weaknessDiedst that he might die with Thee.IVThou didst rise – we hail Thee, Jesus!And we leave the tomb with Thee.Victor, by the power that frees us,Where Thou art, there we would be.VHark! the highest heavens are ringing,Choirs angelic lead the strain,And my opened lips in singingTell the praises forth again.

AN EVENING HYMN

Σὲ καὶ νῦν εὐλογοῦμεν

INow at this evening hour,O Thou, my Christ, to Thee,Thou Word of God, Eternal Light,All grateful praises be.IIFrom Thee the Spirit comes,Third beam of peerless light,And in Thyself one glorious orbThe triple rays unite.IIIThy word and wisdom ThouTo lighten man hast given,That he the splendour might reflectThat shines superb in heaven;IVAnd having light within,Might see Thine image bright,And daily rise, till he himselfIs altogether light.

A MORNING HYMN

ὄρθριος δίδωμι τῷ θεῷ μου δεξιὰς

IThe morning breaks, I place my hand in Thine,My God, ’tis Thine to lead, to follow mine;No word deceitful shall I speak the while,Nor shall I stain my hand with action vile.IIThine be the day with worthy labour filled,Strong would I stand to do the duty willed;Nor swayed by restless passion let me be,That I may give the offering pure to Thee;IIIElse were I ’shamed when hoary age I see,Shamed were this board that bears Thy gifts to me:Mine is the impulse; O my Christ, I pray,Be Thou Thyself to me the Blessed Way!

AN EVENING HYMN

ἐψευσάμην σε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, λόγε

IO Word of Truth! in devious pathsMy wayward feet have trod,I have not kept the day sereneI gave at morn to God.IIAnd now ’tis night, and night within,O God, the light hath fled!I have not kept the vow I madeWhen morn its glories shed.IIIFor clouds of gloom from nether worldObscured my upward way;O Christ the Light, Thy light bestowAnd turn my night to day!

SYNESIUS

Synesius was born about 375. In more particulars than one he was an outstanding man. His pedigree is said to have extended through seventeen centuries, and to have included the names of the most illustrious. Not only was he of noble lineage, he was a man also of high character and brilliant attainments. He was versed in the Neoplatonic philosophy, and his Christianity has been called in question by no less an authority than Mosheim; but how any one can read his odes and doubt the reality of his Christian faith, even in the full sense of the term, as believing in the Divinity of Christ and in His Resurrection, is hard to understand. He certainly was a good man, and knew Christ and loved Him. His writings prove that; and in 410 A.D., though reluctantly, he became Bishop of Ptolemais. Very little of his poetry has come down to us, but that little is of the highest order. He died 430 A.D.

σοὶ νύξ με φέρει τὸν ἀοιδὸν, ἄναξ

A Cento from ἄγε μοι ψυχά

IWhen darkness falls and night is here,My hymns of praise in silence rise —This knows the moon, whose silver sphereShines in the star-bespangled skies.IIWhen morning breaks, and glorious dayShines in the dawn and noontide fair —This knows the sun – a grateful laySprings from my heart in fervent prayer.IIIWhen fails the light at sunset gray,And twilight listens for my song —This know the stars – in bright arrayMy praises mingle with their throng.

λύπαις δ’ ἄστιπτος ψυχά

A Cento from ϓμνῶμεν κοῦρον νύμφας

IO may my soul, uncrushed by care,Direct her gaze to where Thou art,And in Thy splendour find, O Christ,The strength of life Thou canst impart.IIAnd freed from sin’s depressing load,May I pursue the path divine,And rise above the cares of earthUntil my life is merged in Thine.IIIUnsullied life Thy servant grantWho tunes his harp to sound Thy praise,And still my life shall hymn Thy love,And glory to the Father raise.IVAnd when I rest in glory bright,The burden of my labour past,In hymns I’ll praise Thee more and moreWhile the eternal ages last.

ἄγε μοι ψυχά

IUp, up, my soul, on wings of praise,No other service know;In holy strains the love expressThat fires the heart below.IIBurn, burn, my soul, and ever beWith holy ardour fired,And, strongly armed with firm resolve,Be evermore inspired.IIIPour forth a bloodless offeringOf hymns and holy lauds,And weave a garland rich and fairTo crown the King of gods.

αὐτὸς φῶς εἶ παγαῖον

Cento from ϓμνῶμεν κοῦρον νύμφας