Week 4 of Lent. Venerable John Climacus

Week 4 of Lent. Venerable John Climacus

Ladder. Fragment of an icon

Repentance is our reconciliation with God. Saint John Climacus

Fasting is a time of repentance, a time when our hardened hearts must, by the power of God, become sensitive from insensitive, from cold and hard - warm and open to others and to God Himself.

Lent is a time of renewal, when, like in spring, everything becomes new again; when our life, which gradually faded away, barely flickering, comes to life again with the power that God can give us, introducing us to His Holy Spirit, making us in the Holy Mysteries and in the direct gift of Himself partakers of the Divine nature.

This is a time of reconciliation, and reconciliation is the joy of God and our joy; this is a new beginning.

Today the memory of St. John Climacus is celebrated, and I want to read to you a few of his words, especially significant for the period of the church year that we are now experiencing: “Repentance is our return to God, the renewal of our baptism; this is a feat to renew our union with God, our vow to change our lives. This is the time when we can learn humility, that is, peace: peace with God, peace with ourselves, peace with all creation. Repentance is born from hope and a decisive rejection of despair. And the repentant is the one who deserves condemnation, but leaves the court without shame and disgrace, because repentance is our reconciliation with God. And this is achieved through a worthy life, through a war with the sins that we committed in the past. Repentance is the cleansing of our conscience. Repentance is the readiness, without a word of grumbling and transformed by love, to bear all sorrow and all pain.”

And if we ask ourselves how, in what way to achieve this, how can we respond to God, who accepts us as the father accepted the prodigal son; To God, Who waited so long for us, with anguish when we rejected Him, and never turned away from us - how can we respond to such a God? To this end, here is another short passage about prayer: “Do not become sophisticated in prayerful eloquence; because our Heavenly Father is often pleased by the shy, simple babble of children. Don't be too verbose when you talk to God, because otherwise, looking for words, you will get confused in them. For just one word, God had mercy on the publican; one word of faith saved the thief on the cross. Verbosity in prayer scatters the mind and fills it with an abundance of images. A single word addressed to God gathers the mind in His presence. And if, when you pray, what word struck you in the heart, reached your very depths, hold on to this word, repeat it, for at such moments the guardian angel himself prays with you, because then we are truthful and faithful to ourselves and God.” .

Let us remember what Saint John of the Climacus says, even if my explanations are forgotten; let us remember his words, because he was a man who knew what it meant to turn to God and stay with Him, to be a joy to God and rejoice in Him. The memory and personality of Saint John Climacus is offered to us now, as we ascend to the days of passion, as an example of how the grace of God can transform an ordinary, simple person into a lamp for the world.

Let us learn from him, let us follow his example, let us rejoice in what God can do with His power to man; and with confidence, with hope, with jubilant and at the same time quiet, unperturbed joy, let us follow this advice to listen to God, who begs us to find the way of life and tells us that with Him, in Him we will live, because He is the Truth, but so is the Way and Eternal Life. Amen.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh

Troparion to Saint John Climacus

With your tears you cultivated the barren desert, and you brought forth fruit from the depths with sighs of a hundred labors, and you were the light of the universe, shining miracles, John Our Father, pray to Christ God, that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion to Saint John Climacus

The ever-blooming fruits from your book, bringing teachings to wisdom, delight the hearts of those who listen with sobriety to the blessed: for there is a ladder leading souls from the earth to the heavenly and abiding glory, who honor you by faith.

Life of Saint Venerable John Climacus

The Ladder of John the Climacus The saint of God, the Monk John lived in the 6th century, a Syrian by birth, called the Ladder or the author of the “Ladder” in his writing, and Sinait after the place of his pious deeds. At the age of 17, John sacrificed himself to God: he ascended his body to Mount Sinai and his soul to the mountain in heaven. Having remained on Mount Sinai in the exploits of solitude for 19 years - until he was forty years old, the monk then retired to the Sinai desert of Thola, located 5 stadia from the Sinai church, and here he labored in great exploits of strict fasting and unceasing prayer for 40 years. During this extraordinary Lent, his fast was as extraordinary as the very continuation of the time of his fasting. Although the monk did not shy away from the food permitted by the statute during Lent, in order to crush, as he himself said, the horn of pride; but he accepted it so little that he seemed more to taste than to partake; but he resolutely abstained from all passion, speaking commandingly to her: be silent, be numb! His repentance was accompanied by deep contrition of heart and tears. For a long time after his blessed death, they showed a very narrow cave under the mountain - this is a secret place of feats of repentance, which is called the tear chamber, and which was as far away from the hostel as necessary so that others would not hear John’s sobs.

The Monk John, appointed leader (abbot) of others, began the path of a new ascent to God and a greater approach to heaven. Like Moses, he, according to the writer of his life, approached God, accepted in thought the God-written law and with the pen of the spirit drew, at the request of the Monk John, Abbot of Raifa, the God-written tablets (“Ladder of Paradise”), which he passed on not only to those guided by him, but and everyone who wants to ascend to heaven.

Ascending further in the degrees of spiritual perfection, and with greater zeal than before accepting leadership over the brethren, he presented the book to the shepherd, and thus became the leader of the leaders themselves.

The monk introduced himself 80 years from his birth, around the year 606. The memory of Saint John Climacus is celebrated by the Church on March 30.

In the liturgical Gospel on the Sunday of the fourth week of Great Lent, the Church, for the consolation and edification of those who fast, affirming by Divine testimony the power of fasting and prayer, which opened the ladder of heaven to John and raised him to the height of spiritual perfection, preaches that the spirit of malice is driven out of a person only by prayer and fasting, and together foreshadows the approaching joy of the resurrection of Christ (Mark 17-31).

Archpriest G.S. Debolsky, “Days of worship of the Orthodox Church” vol. 2

Wednesday

Trinity voices.

According to the 1st verse of the sedalny Krestny Osmoglasnik.

According to the 2nd verse, the verb is the present sedal of Mr. Joseph. Voice 6.

Similar to: The Hope of the World:

The time of abstinence, the sanctifying divine and all-honorable Cross lies for worship, let us approach with a pure conscience, draw sanctification and enlightenment, and cry out with fear: Our more humane Savior, with lava to Thy compassion. [Twice.]

Holy Cross. Similar to:

Standing before the Cross, the Unartificial Mother, born of Her without seed, cries out: the sword shall pass through My heart, O Son! not patient, hanged on the Tree of Thee, Whom all things tremble, as the Creator and God, long-suffering, glory to Thee.

According to the 3rd verse of Sedalen, Mr. Theodore. Voice 1.

Similar to: Desperate:

Having been enlightened by virtues, let us begin abstinence, the purity we have acquired, and let us blatantly adore the honorable Cross: sanctify our souls and bodies, grant us grace and worship Thy most pure passion, one and all God of all, grant us your mercy too. [Twice.]

The Holy Cross, the voice is the same.

Similar to: Your Tomb:

Behold You, Christ, All-Immaculate Mother, prostrate dead on the Cross, crying: My Son is coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, by which Thy indescribable sight is this, by which Thou hast saved Thy most pure hands. Generous creation?

The Canon of the Cross, its edges: Let us bow to the All-Honorable Tree. The creation of Mr. Feofan. Voice 4.

Song 1.

Irmos: I will open my mouth:

Let us bow to the holy tree, upon which Christ spreads His hand, conquering the opposing forces, having cleansed ourselves by fasting, to the praise and glory of the Almighty.

We are seen to present ourselves, give sanctification, the saving Cross, let us begin to this, having cleansed both the body and the heart, and draw upon the saving grace.

Purify me with the fire of Your commandments, O Lover of mankind, and Your saving gift grant me now the passion to see, and to worship with love, protected by the Cross, and observed.

Theotokos: Seeing Thy Ascension on the Cross, Lover of mankind, weepingly calling upon Thee Who gave birth: how is he condemned, although judged by all, the glory of the Lord is seen hanging?

Song 3.

Irmos: Your hymn books:

Having fasted with water, our hearts have been cleansed, and we will truly embrace the tree of the Cross, on which Christ hangs, and flow out the water for us as the Benefactor.

Having hailed with the sail of the cross, the ship of salvation has set half-way, Messiah Jesus God, through Thy passion we are nourished to a haven.

Moses formed you on the mountain of enemies to be killed, the Cross: we imagine you with our hearts, and seeing you, and worshiping you, we defeat the bodiless enemies by your power.

Theotokos: By Your will You were Man, O God, and the Creator of all: and now I see You hanging on the Cross, My Son, Christ, Who gave birth to You in the words of God, and with my heart I'm being sarcastic.

Three Songs, voice 6:

Song 3.

Irmos: Lord of all:

Lord of all, and Creator God, in the middle of the earth you ascended on the Cross, lifting up to yourself a human being who had fallen to the evil enemy’s advice. Moreover, we truly glorify You, we affirm Your passion.

Having purified the feelings of pity with the light, the Cross with mental rays, we will be richly illuminated, and this one reverently presents himself today, with clean lips, and kisses his lips and heart.

In the place where we stand on the nose of Christ, let us bow to the divine Cross, on the stone of God’s commandments let us establish our feet, asking our souls to set our feet on the path of peace, for the Divine good datiya.

Theotokos: You, O Christ, came from the unmarried Maiden, and you received mental and animated flesh from the Seed, and having consumed your enemy by the Cross, you renewed the decayed human being again: those Let us glorify Your compassion.

Other. Voice 1.

Irmos: The Lord confirm:

Splash all ends with songs, O visibly worshiped Tree, on which Christ was quickly hanged, and the devil was wounded.

Life-giving joy is offered today, come, let us all worship with fear the honorable Cross of Christ, so that we may receive the Holy Spirit.

Trinity: Three-rayed Sun, three-rayed Light, God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Soul, the beginningless Nature, and glory, singing to Thee, deliver from troubles.

Theotokos: The angels are singing, blessed to the all-sung Mother of God and the Virgin, with whom the human race now praises the Blessed One.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

The life-giving Cross is coming to touch you, I am terrified in my tongue and in my thoughts, seeing that the Divine blood of my Lord will be poured out on you.

Irmos: Lord, establish Thy Church, which Thou hast gained by the power of Thy Cross, even Thou hast defeated the enemy, and Thou hast enlightened the universe.

Sedalny, voice 6. Samoglasny:

Today the prophetic word has been fulfilled: behold, we worship in the place where we stand before Your Lord, and have tasted the Tree of Salvation, having gained freedom from sinful passions through the prayers of the Mother of God, alone, more humane.

Glory: Thy Cross, O Lord, is sanctified, for in it there are healings for those who are sick in sins: to whom we fall before Thee, have mercy on us.

And now: Just as the tree of Christ Thy Cross was erected, the foundations of the death of the Lord were shaken: For He was consumed by hell with desire, and let go with trembling. You have shown us Your salvation, O Holy One, and we praise You, Son of God, have mercy on us.

Song 4.

Irmos: Seated in glory:

Imagining the sign of the Cross, stretching out his hand, the glorious Jacob of old blessed his grandsons, and signified the saving blessing coming to us all.

We observe the seal of the Cross, and, presenting ourselves with the joy of that kissing spirit, we go to the saving passions, putting to death the destructive passions of the flesh.

We will embrace the saving weapon, the invincible victory, the sign of joy, in which death has been slain, adorning the glory of the One who is nailed to you, the All-Honorable Cross.

Theotokos: Seen by Me, we see You were an unapproachable angel, Jesus My Son, who borrowed flesh from Me: and now we see You nailed on the Tree, I weep, Christ va Mati verb.

Song 5.

Irmos: Horrified:

You were dead on the Cross, we nail this life and salvation to all: for this grant, the purified soul of the Savior, to embrace us, and to see Your saving passion bring joy Let's go.

The rank of the bodiless stands before You, trembling, the Life-Giving Tree: on you is Christ pouring out His venerable blood, emitting a ray from afar, carrying endless destruction as a demon.

With the weapon of the wounded enemy, heal me with the blood of Your Word, and with a copy, quickly tear up the handwriting of my sins, O Savior, I cry to You, writing in the books of the saved, like a good morning ben.

Theotokos: Ripe grape, how did you promise on the Tree? Sun of glory, what did you do, darkening the radiance of the sun with your passion? The Lamb who gave birth to Thee, of old cried out to Thee, exclaiming motherly.

Song 6.

Irmos: Cry out in prototype:

Thou shalt have erected the habitation of hell, but the unshakable affirmation was true that thou art the well-known covering, the Lord of the All-Honorable Cross.

Bring forth fruit with the former virtues, let us replenish the divine Tree with life-giving fruits, which have already vegetated, prostrate on this Jesus, fruitful vine.

We sing Your great goodness to Jesus, who worships Your Cross, the copy, the reed: with these you have destroyed the hostility of your generous environment.

Theotokos: The All-Pure River of Animals, as the source of our renewal, stretched out on the Cross and exuded drops of salvation.

Irmos: The prophet Jonah cried out, prefiguring the three-day burial, praying in the whale: deliver me from aphids, O Jesus the King of hosts.

Kontakion, voice 7. Samogree:

No one guards the gates of Eden with a flaming weapon, for you will find the glorious sous, the Tree of the Cross: a mortal sting, and the victory of hell will be driven away. For you appeared, my Savior, crying out to those in hell: come again into heaven.

Ikos: Pilate set up three crosses on Golgotha, two thieves, and one Life-Giver, Whom you see as hell, and he said to the living: O my servants, and my strength! who planted a nail in my heart and suddenly pierced it with a wooden spear? and I am torn to pieces, I hurt with my inner beings, I am wounded in my belly, my feelings confuse my spirit, and I am forced to vomit out Adam, and the things that are from Adam, the tree given to me: For this tree is in takes the packs to heaven.

Song 7.

Irmos: Without serving the creature:

The axe, to the south of which Elisha took from the Jordan Christ, the Cross was revealed, from the depths of vanity the tongues brought forth, chanting: of the Fathers, the Lord and God are blessed.

The heavenly ones rejoice with the earthly ones in the worship of your Cross: for by you the union between angel and man became omnipotent, crying out: Blessed are the Lord God.

Like cypress is mercy, like cedar is fragrant faith, like the song that brings true love, we worship the Lord’s Cross, on it we glorify the Savior who was nailed.

Theotokos: Without shaking the heavenly one, God dwelled in Your womb, the chosen city of God: but hanging on the Cross, the creature was shaken. Pray to Him, that I may be preserved on His immovable stone.

Song 8.

Irmos: Pious Youths:

You stretched out your hand on the Tree, uncontrollable hands, resolving sin: with a spear you awoke, thus wounding the Lord as a fighter: you tasted the bile, taking away sweet malice, oh With this you have drunk, there is joy for all.

With a pure mind and a bright conscience, let us bow before the honorable and holy Tree, in which Christ will take the dishonorable death, having imposed the highest honor, by the crime of the cruelly dishonored .

Having been killed by the tree of sin, and buried in sweet food, revive me, Lord, raise me up as I lie down, a worshiper of the manifestation of Your passions, and a participant in the Divine rebellion, and love an heir. who lived in Ty.

Theotokos: Exalted are You who see, neither kindness in passion, nor the appearance of possessions, He is embodied in the mind, more beautiful than the sons of men, You are the only begotten Son, the All-pure crying Virgin: show Your glory, the salvation of all.

Other. Irmos: For the laws of the fathers:

At noon I will crucify you in the middle of the earth by your will; you have plucked out the ends of the world from the midst of the serpent’s throat generously. Moreover, in the middle week of the divine fasts, we worshipfully glorify Your honorable Cross, Lord, sing loudly and exalt forever.

Sign of joy, indestructible weapon, wall of the Church, praise of the martyrs, adornment of the apostles, confirmation of the bishops, having strengthened my weary soul, I bow down to the Lord, and I cry out to You in song. Now: Lords, praise your deeds and exalt them to all ages.

I weep and cry, when in my mind I receive the judgment of the unwashed, long-suffering, condemned. Moreover, have mercy on me, and lighten the heavy burden of my soul, so that I may cry joyfully: Sing to the works of the Lord, and exalt them to all ages.

Theotokos: The bush formed the mystery, more than the mind of Your Nativity, the All-Immaculate Virgin: just as she abided, unburnt by the fire who gave birth to Christ the Savior, who ascended to the Cross. Pray to Him to deliver me from the eternal fire, crying: Sing the works of the Lord, and exalt them to all ages.

Other. Irmos: This named and holy day:

Come, O Cross of the Lord, having been cleansed by fasting, let us kiss you with love: for we have the treasure of sanctification and strength. Moreover, let us sing Him forever.

This tripartite and great Cross, little visible, wider than the heavens, is by its power, ever raising people to God: with it let us bless Christ forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Lord.

Glorifying the One Being in three outlines, I do not merge the three individually, below the view, the Father and the Son, with the Spirit: one is above all God in the Trinity.

And now: You appeared as one among your mothers, the Virgin Bride of God to Mary, who without a husband gave birth to the Savior Christ, preserving the purity of the seal: Blessed are you people forever.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Let this all-holy Tree be honored, which the prophet of old cried to put into the bread of Christ, from the Israelites who crucified Him. We extol him to all ages.

Irmos: Rutse in the den of the castaway lions, sometimes the great prophet, Daniel stretched out the cross in the shape of a cross, and was saved unharmed from these foods, blessing Christ God forever.

Song 9.

Irmos: Every earth-born:

With a spear you opened your side, spreading out the source for me: but you were nailed to the Tree, setting up condemnation with a tree in the middle of the earth, Lover of mankind: even we are at the end of the fast today We do not kiss, praising Your goodness.

Mountains of sweetness, hills of joy, seek love: the trees of Poland, the cedars of Lebanon, rejoice, in the worship of the life-giving Cross today: the prophets, martyrs, apostles, and the righteous souls leapt Wait.

Look upon the people and Your wealth, Lord, who sing with fear of Thee, the free death for whose sake You endured, so that Your benevolence may not overcome the immeasurable multitude of our evils: but save All of us are blessed by Your Cross, as a Lover of Mankind.

Theotokos: With Your wave, the visible world is shaken, crucified, but you remain hanging, Mother of God weeping with the words, passionate thoughts of the primordial Christ, consume at least, and heal that grief showing goodness.

Other. Irmos: Everyone is perplexed:

Elisseus of old from the river slashed, imagining the tree of the Cross, the life-giving tree: and from the depths Christ brought out the tongues of idolatrous demons, nailed to you: even more worshiping To you, we glorify His power.

The rays of the sun, O Savior, were transformed into darkness by Your crucifixion, but the radiance of the moon was extinguished: and the elements were all changed with trembling. Moreover, I cry to Ti: my thoughts have been changed by the darkness of passions, change the Word, by Your right hand, and save me.

With Thy ulcer, heal my souls of passion: by perforating Thy ribs, heal the painful perforation of demons: with Thy nails, Christ, nails of sweet and passionate lust, giving them dispassionately Let us worship your honest passion and resurrection.

Mother of God: With red kindness, the red Maiden gave birth to You, who saw no kindness in suffering, below the appearance of property, O Savior, weeping with the words: I marvel beyond my wits at My Son, Yours. humility, through which you save humble human nature.

Other. Irmos: Glow, glow:

Come, be aware, all the people of God, and the Tree of the Cross that stands beforehand, kiss with fear, and receive joy, on it the Lord of glory is exalted ever more glorifyingly.

You are the Divine Weapon of my life. On the Cross, upon you the Lord ascended to save me: oozing blood and water, pierced into my ribs, on which I take communion, rejoicing, glorifying Him.

Trinity: Trinity of Persons, Unity of Nature, I worship You, Holy Divinity, Father and Son, with the Holy Spirit, one beginning, one Kingdom, ruling over all.

Theotokos: Great Mountain, Christ dwells in it, You have appeared as the Virgin, as the divine David cries: here we have ascended to heaven, having been born into the All-Blessed Spirit.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Divine royal scepter, cross, courage of the armies, in your trust we conquer the warriors: grant us victory ever before you who bow to the barbarians.

Irmos: O Mother of the Virgin, and the unfaithful Mother of God, who gave birth without seed to Christ our God, who ascended to the Cross in the flesh: We now magnify all things worthy of You with Him.

Luminous of voice, and a real exapostilary.

Like: Spirit:

At the end of the fast, the all-honorable Tree calls everyone to worship, with their passions, the passions of Christ worthily follow: come, all you faithful, let us worship the Tree of the terrible sacrament.

Mother of the Cross: Blessed and All-Pure Mother of God the Word, screaming and weeping: did Mi Gabriel bring joy to the Annunciation, Child? Go and fulfill the ineffable advice and Divine vision.

On the verse, he says it all day, twice. Voice 8:

Forgiveness has filled the path leading to Your honorable Cross, We have seen Your day, which Abraham saw, and we rejoiced as Isaac was received from the tomb of the hill alive. Greed us also, who by faith have been delivered from the enemy, and to partake of the Supper of the Mystery, in the world calling: enlightenment and our Savior, glory to Thee.

Martyred: The invincible martyrs of Christ, having conquered delusion by the power of the Cross, received the grace of eternal life, did not fear the tormentors of reproach, rejoiced in the torments of the torments: and now the blood is in for the healing of our souls. Pray for our souls to be saved.

Glory, the same voice: Having emptied the abyss of abstinence, let us receive salvation as a haven, the time of Your passion is free, Lord: but as you are Compassionate and Generous, and the day of Your glorious Resurrection him, grant us to be seen in the world, O Lover of mankind.

And now, again the same.

The veneration of the cross takes place at the 1st hour, then we sing the prescribed weekly stichera, self-according, voice 2: Come, faithful ones: And so on. And let go.

At the 6th hour, troparion of prophecy, voice 6:

We bow to Your Cross, Master, and we glorify Your Holy Resurrection.

Prokeimenon, Psalm 69. Tone 6: Let all who seek You, God, rejoice and rejoice in You. Verse: Let them turn back and be ashamed:

Reading the prophecies of Isaiah. [Isa. 26:21, 27:1–9.]

Behold, the Lord from the holy [place] brings wrath upon those who dwell on the earth, and the earth reveals its blood, and does not cover those who are slain. On that day the Lord will bring the holy, and great, and strong sword against the fleeing dragon of the serpent, against the evil dragon of the serpent: and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. On that day the grapes are good, you want to sing over them. I am a strong city, a warring city, I will give it water in vain: for it will be captivated by night, and in the day its wall will fall. there is no one who can take it. Who will guide me among the stalks in the field? For the sake of enmity, I sowed denial and: for this reason, the Lord God created all things, a great council: And when it was burned, those who dwelt in it cried out: Let us make peace for him, let us make peace. The coming child of Jacob: Israel will vegetate and prosper, and the world will be filled with its fruit. If you eat food like that, will it hurt your skin? and just as you kill, so will you be killed. Having boiled and reproaching, he will let me go: were you not thinking with a cruel spirit to kill me with a spirit of rage? For this reason Jacob's iniquity will be taken away, and this is his blessing, when I have taken away his sin, when all the stones of the temples have been laid in pieces like broken dust: and they shall not abide. Their trees and their idols will be cut down, like an oak forest far away.

Prokeimenon, Psalm 70. Tone 6: In You, Lord, I have trusted, let me never be ashamed. Verse: Deliver me through Your righteousness.

Texts of the canons of the Most Holy Theotokos sung at Great Compline from the Second Week of Lent

For texts with accents, you need to install the Triod font; you can download it here.