Service to the Holy Hieromartyr Boniface

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Month of June
The 5th Day
Commemoration of the Holy Hieromartyr Boniface,
Wonderworker of Crediton in Devon,
Enlightener of Holland & Germany,
The Equal of the Apostles

(This Service has been submitted to the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and approval is pending).

At Little Vespers

On "Lord, I have cried…", 4 stichera, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: "Joy of the ranks of heaven…"-

The ranks of angels in heaven were filled with joy, O Boniface, when, wearing the blood of thy martyrdom like a wedding garment, thou didst enter the bridal chamber of the Lord of hosts; and they raised their voices in acclamation when thou didst take thy rightful place before the throne on high. Twice

Thou didst blossom like a lily amid the tares and weeds of heathen lands, O Boniface, and didst emit the sweet fragrance of the Christian Faith, which filled all who inhaled it with love for the Lord; wherefore, He plucked thee from the soil of this earth, and planted thee among the gardens of His mansions on high.

When the sword of the slayer clove thy sacred head in twain, it dealt a mortal blow to polytheism in Frisia; and thy valiant death, truly Christian, instilled life and hope in the newly-enlightened people of God. Wherefore, as thou wast in every way well-pleasing to thy Master, He hath caused abundant grace to shine forth from thy holy relics.
Glory…, in Tone IV-

Like a fountain full of vivifying waters, pouring forth streams to quench the thirst of the pious, thy tomb giveth forth torrents of miracles, to heal the sickness of men's souls and bodies. And the spring which ariseth at the place of thy martyrdom likewise cureth divers ailments and infirmities, that in full health the faithful may cry out to the Most High: Wondrous art Thou in Thy saints, O Lord!

Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion; or this theotokion, in the same tone-

Preserve thy servants from all misfortunes, O blessed Theotokos, that we may all glorify thee, the hope of our souls.

Aposticha stichera, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: "O house of Ephratha…"-

Filled with love for thy fellow man, thou didst brave the perils of the sea and set sail for Europe, O Boniface, where with the holy Willibrord thou didst preach Christ to the heathen.

Stichos: The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be multiplied.
Full of faith and fortitude, in company with pious pilgrims thou didst journey to Old Rome, where the holy hierarch Gregory blessed thy God-pleasing endeavors.

Stichos: They that are planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our God they shall blossom forth.

Sent to Germany by the holy Gregory to plant there the Orthodox Faith, thou didst traverse the lofty Alps, and didst find beyond, O saint, a fertile vineyard for the Lord of hosts.

Glory…, in Tone V-

Summoned to Old Rome by the holy Gregory, the worthy successor of the Dialogist, there to give account of thy pious labors, O Boniface, in obedience thou didst set forth without delay, and on arriving in the great City didst straightway pray at the tomb of the preëminent Apostle Peter. Then, having made true confession of right doctrine, thou wast ordained to the sacred episcopacy, to tend the sheep of the Lord who were languishing without a shepherd, and wast sent forth to the lands beyond the Rhine, to preach the name of Christ to the heathen, to baptize them in the holy name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to build churches where the divine Mysteries could be offered, and to establish and make steadfast the Orthodox Faith.

Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion; or this theotokion, in the same tone-

O thou who art full of joy, intercede in thy supplications, and beg for our souls a multitude of compassions and cleansing of our many sins, we entreat thee.

Troparion, in Tone V-

O holy Boniface, hieromartyr and equal of the apostles, godly scion of England, boast of Germany, praise of France and glory of Holland! Arrayed in vestments dyed red in the blood of thy sacrifice, intercede with boldness before the throne of the King of all, that He pacify all the nations and visit our souls with great mercy.

Glory…, Now & ever…, troparion from the Pentecostarion; or this theotokion, in the same tone-

We hymn thee who hast mediated the salvation of our race, O Virgin Theotokos; for thy Son and our God, accepting suffering on the Cross in the flesh He had received of thee, hath delivered us from corruption, in that He loveth mankind.

At Great Vespers

After the Introductory Psalm, we chant "Blessed is the man…", the first antiphon.

On "Lord, I have cried…": If the feast fall within the period of the Pentecostarion, 8 stichera: 3 from the Pentecostarion, and 5 of the hieromartyr; but if the feast fall thereafter: 8 stichera of the hieromartyr, the first three stichera being chanted twice.

In Tone VI: Spec. Mel.: "As one valiant among the martyrs…"-

In thy pure soul, as the Psalmist proclaimeth, mercy and truth met together, and righteousness and peace kissed each other; for like a fertile field ploughed by piety thou didst absorb the warmth of the Sun of righteousness; and well watered by the dew of the Spirit of God, thou didst produce a goodly harvest of the virtues, which Christ the Husbandman hath laid up in the granaries of heaven.

As a monk tried and tested in ascetic endeavor, thou wast a luminary of piety; for all who were tempest-tossed on the raging sea of life found thee, O Boniface, to be a bright beacon of the Orthodox Faith, guiding them safely toward the tranquil harbor; and casting off the heavy burden of sins wherewith they were laden, they entered the haven of Christ, rejoicing, and found there the peace which passeth understanding.

Ordained as a priest of the Holy Church, O venerable one, thou didst serve the ineffable Mysteries, nurturing the children of the New Israel, offering the Body and Blood of the Lord unto those who hungered and thirsted for them, so that, nourished by the Bread of heaven, they might cease their spiritual wandering and enter the promised land of heaven and the mansions which await the redeemed.

Called and chosen by Christ the Master, long didst thou toil in His vineyard, bearing trials at the hands of the heathen like the burden and heat of the day. Wherefore, as a tireless and uncomplaining laborer, blessed wast thou, O godly Boniface, for, having endured temptations thou hast received the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to those who love Him.

The Saxon peoples of Hesse and Thuringia, and the savage folk of the Frisian parts, bowed their necks beneath the yoke of Christ at thy behest, O holy hieromartyr; for, filled with love for thy neighbor, thou didst go forth without hesitation to bind up the wounds of their souls; and shedding thine own blood for thy Master, thou didst set the seal of holy martyrdom on thy pious life, for which thou chantest now in heaven with the angels.

Glory…, in Tone I-

Great was thy valor, O holy Boniface! For, daunted neither by the zeal of the Bortharians for their pagan deities nor by their malice, in the presence of a vast crowd of the heathen thou didst fearlessly lay thine axe to the Oak of Thor, the object of their unholy worship. Then a mighty rushing wind, sent by God, demolished the tree forthwith, to the consternation of the heathen, whose hope in their false gods was shown to be in vain. Wherefore, the people of Hesse and Thuringia forsook the demons they had worshiped as gods and reviled them as utterly impotent; and they lifted up their voices to bless the true God, and with the fragments of the tree, which had fallen in the form of the Cross of the Lord, they built a holy church for the true God of creation.

Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion; or the Dogmaticon theotokion, in the same tone-

Let us hymn the Virgin Mary, the glory of the whole world, who sprang forth from men and gave birth unto the Master, the portal of heaven, and the subject of the hymnody of the incorporeal hosts; for she hath been shown to be heaven and the temple of the Godhead. Having destroyed the middle-wall of enmity, she hath brought forth peace and opened wide the kingdom. Therefore, having her as the confirmation of our faith, we have as champion the Lord born of her. Be of good courage! Yea, be ye of good cheer, O people of God, for He vanquisheth the foe, in that He is almighty!

Entrance. Prokimenon of the Day. Three Readings:

A READING FROM PROVERBS

The memory of the just is praised, and the blessing of the Lord is upon his head. Blessed is the man who hath found wisdom, and the mortal who knoweth prudence. For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver. And she is more valuable than precious stones: no precious thing is equal to her in value. For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth righteousness proceedeth, and she carrieth law and mercy upon her tongue. Hearken to me, O children, for I will speak solemn truths. Blessed is the man who shall keep my ways; for my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and in them is prepared favor from the Lord. Ye, O men, do I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men. I, wisdom, have built up; upon counsel, knowledge and understanding have I called. Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine. I love those that love me; they that seek me shall find grace. O ye simple, understand subtlety, and ye that are untaught, imbibe knowledge. Hearken unto me again; for I will speak solemn truths. For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse. They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge. For I will instruct you in truth, that your hope may be in the Lord, and ye may be filled with the Spirit.

A READING FROM PROVERBS

The mouth of the righteous droppeth wisdom: but the tongue of the unjust shall perish. The lips of just men drop grace: but the mouth of the ungodly is perverse. False balances are an abomination before the Lord: but a just weight is acceptable unto Him. Wherever pride entereth, there will also disgrace: but the mouth of the humble doth meditate wisdom. The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the overthrow of the rebellious shall spoil them. Possessions shall not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness will deliver from death. When a just man dieth, he leaveth regret: but the destruction of the ungodly is speedy and causeth joy. Righteousness traceth out blameless paths: but ungodliness encountereth unjust dealing. The righteousness of upright men delivereth them: but transgressors are caught in their own destruction. At the death of a just man his hope doth not perish: but the boast of the ungodly perisheth. A righteous man escapeth from a snare, and the ungodly man is delivered up in his place. In the mouth of ungodly men is a snare for citizens: but the understanding of righteous men is prosperous. In the prosperity of righteous men a city prospereth, but at the destruction of the wicked there is exultation. At the blessing of the upright a city shall be exalted, but by the mouths of ungodly men it is overthrown. A man void of understanding sneereth at his fellow citizens: but a sensible man is quiet.

READING FROM THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON.

When the righteous is praised, the people will rejoice; for his memory is immortality, because it is known with God, and with men; for his soul pleased the Lord. Love wisdom, therefore, O men, and live; desire her, and ye shall be instructed. For the beginning of her is love and the observation of the law. Honor wisdom, that ye may reign for evermore. I will tell you, and will not hide from you the mysteries of God, for He it is who is the instructor of wisdom, the Director of the wise, the Master of all understanding and activity. And wisdom teacheth all understanding; for in her is a spirit understanding and holy, the brightness of the everlasting light, and the image of the goodness of God. She maketh friends of God, and prophets; she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the constellations of the stars; compared with the light, she is found pre-eminent. She hath delivered from pain them that please her, and guided them in right paths, given them knowledge of holy things, defended them from their enemies, and given them a mighty struggle, that they might all know that godliness is stronger than all; vice shall never prevail against wisdom, neither shall judgment pass away without convicting the evil. For they said to themselves, reasoning unrighteously: Let us oppress the righteous man, let us not spare his holiness, neither need we be ashamed of the ancient gray hairs of the aged, for our strength shall be a law unto us; let us lie in wait for the righteous, for he is displeasing to us, opposeth our doings, upbraideth us with our offending the law, and denounceth to our infamy the transgressions of our training. He professeth to have the knowledge of God, and calleth himself the child of the Lord. He is become a reproof to our thoughts, and is grievous even for us to behold; for his life is not like other men's, his ways are of another fashion. We are accounted by him as a mockery, and he avoideth our ways as filth, and pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed. Let us see if his words be true; let us test what things happen to him. Let us examine him with mockery and torture, that we may know his meekness and prove his forbearance. Let us condemn him with a shameful death, for by his own words shall he be visited. Such things did they imagine, and were deceived; for their own wickedness blinded them. As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not; neither bethought they that Thou alone art God, Who hast the power of life and death, savest in time of tribulation, and deliverest from all evil; Who art compassionate and merciful, givest grace to Thy saints and opposest the prideful with Thine own arm.

At Litia, the sticheron from the Pentecostarion, or that of the temple; and this sticheron of the hieromartyr, in Tone II-

Moved to pity that men's souls languished in sin and ignorance, thou didst depart from England, thy native land, and didst brave many dangers to bring the light of Christ unto those sitting in pagan darkness. Wherefore, thou didst labor ceaselessly in the lands of the Saxons, Franks and Frisians to erect dioceses, churches and monasteries in those parts, and didst willingly lay down thy life for thy sheep, that when the Holy Faith had been brought unto them, they might ascend from glory to glory to attain divinity through grace divine.

In Tone VII: That the Church of Christ might flourish abundantly in the lands of the Franks and Germans, thou didst attend and participate in many synods and councils, that the tares of abuses which threatened to choke the fertile field of the Lord might be utterly uprooted; wherefore, adorned with prudence and wisdom, and guided in all things by the most Holy Spirit, thou didst instruct and edify thy fellow bishops with great probity, that as skilled husbandmen they might increase the grain of men's souls an hundredfold, and lay up a rich harvest for God their Master.

Glory…, in Tone VIII-

When the faithful of Utrecht strove to retain thy martyred body as a priceless treasure for their city, contrary to thy stated will, O Boniface, they found themselves unable to move the bier whereon the precious relics lay. Then were thy holy remains borne by the faithful without hindrance to the River Rhine, where the Spirit of God propelled them with miraculous speed to Mainz, thy metropolitan see. But there too the faithful of that place also sought to detain thy body; yet thou didst appear in a vision to the pious deacon Otbert, and didst command him to remind the holy bishop Lull and all the faithful that thou didst desire thy body to rest in Fulda; wherefore thy sacred relics were taken in triumph from thence to thy beloved abbey, where ever since they shine forth the grace of God upon those who honor thee.

Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion; or this theotokion, in the same tone-

O Mistress, accept the supplications of thy servants, and deliver us from all want and grief.

Aposticha stichera, in Tone VI: Spec. Mel.: "Having set aside…"-

Filled with the supernal joy of Pascha, thou wast moved by the love of the risen Lord to go forth again to preach Him to the heathen, and to strengthen in the Christian Faith those who had embraced it; for, certain of the vanity of all worldly pursuits, and aware of the approach of the end of thine long and industrious life, which thou didst prophesy to thy disciples, thou wast determined to labor actively for the Master until thy final breath. Wherefore, having set all things in order for the well-being of thy flock, thou didst set out for the lands of the Frisians, there to finish the goodly race for the Judge of the contest.

Stichos: The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be multiplied.

Setting forth from Fulda, thou didst pass on to Mainz, and from thence unto Utrecht; and in each place the grace of God drew men unto thee, so that when thou didst reach Dokkum in the land of the Frisians thy valiant company had grown to three score in number, clergy and laity. Then, after the glorious feast of Pentecost, as thou wast preparing to confirm the newly-enlightened in the Faith, at dawn a godless band of pagans and apostates assailed thy camp with the sword, andbegan to slay all thy company; but thou didst cry out for all to hear: "Render not evil for evil!", before a barbarian sword cleaved thy sacred head in twain, and thy pure soul departed, rejoicing, to its Maker.

Stichos: They that are planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our God they shall blossom forth.

Drunken and consumed with greed, the barbarians fell upon one another, so that few remained among the living, thus visiting retribution upon those who slew the faithful servant of the Lord. Then the pious gathered up the remains of the athletes of Christ, and buried some in the place of their martyrdom, but the honored bodies of the hieromartyr and those close to him they bore to Utrecht, where all save that of the saint where interred with fitting dignity. Yet the precious relics of the blessed Boniface was miraculously conveyed up the River Rhine through Mainz to the Abbey of Fulda, where they were reverently committed to the ground in accordance with his will.

Glory…, in Tone III-

O River Boorn, how were thy pristine waters mingled with the martyrs' blood? O soil of Dokkum, how wast thou stained therewith? Lo, it hath dyed for you a robe of royal purple, fitting raiment wherein to greet the Creator of all. Wherefore, exult thou, O Holland, in the glorious witness of the martyrs, and with spiritual joy proclaim their glorious names as deserving of great praise: the holy hieromartyrs Boniface, Archbishop at Mainz, and Eoba, Bishop of Utrecht; the valiant priests Ethelhere, Walthere and Wintrung; the courageous deacons Botha, Hahmund and Scirbald; the pious monks Gundæcer, Hathowulf, Illehere and Wachar; Hildebrand, the faithful attendant of the hierarch; and the two score and more whose names are not recorded. O ye Orthodox believers, clap your hands in gladness, and join chorus together on the feast of the saints, entreating the King of heaven, to treat with mercy and compassion all who honor their sacred memory.

Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion, or this theotokion, in the same tone-

How can we not marvel at thy giving birth to the God-man, O all-honored one. For without having accepted the temptation of a man, O all-immaculate one, without a father thou gavest birth in the flesh to a Son Who was begotten without a mother before the ages, without His undergoing change, confusion or division, and yet He preserved intact the character of both essences. Wherefore, O Virgin Mother and Mistress, entreat Him, that the souls of those who in Orthodox manner confess thee to be the Theotokos be saved.

After the Blessing of the Loaves, the troparion of the hieromartyr, in Tone V-

Then the troparion from the Pentecostarion, once; or, if the feast fall after the Pentecostarion, "Virgin Theotokos, rejoice!…", once.

At Matins

At "God is the Lord…", the troparion of the Pentecostarion, twice; Glory…, that of the hieromartyr; Now & ever…, that of the Pentecostarion; but if the feast fall outside the Pentecostarion, the troparion of the hieromartyr, twice; Glory…, Now & ever…: the resurrectional theotokion, in the same tone-

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone VIII-

Performing works of piety and Christian virtue, thou didst blamelessly minister to thy flock, confirming the words of thine instruction with upright deeds; and inspiring all to mercy and loving-kindness, thou didst teach them to shun the broad way which leadeth to destruction, and to tread instead the straight and narrow way which leadeth to the heavenly Sion. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion; or this Theotokion, in the same tone-

Impregnable to the hosts of the enemy is the stronghold of thy protection, O all-immaculate Lady; for thou didst conceive the Lord and Master of all without knowing man, and gavest birth to Him without experiencing the pangs of childbirth. Wherefore, as our heavenly protectress, grant shelter and refuge to our souls, that we may escape retribution.

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone V-

Leaving thy parents and the hearth of thy childhood home, thou didst enter the monastery at Exeter, seeking a safe haven amid the raging storms of life, O holy Boniface. And placing thyself in obedience under the rule of the venerable Benedict, thou didst attain tranquillity of soul, and wast nurtured with pure Orthodox dogmas and the living water of the Sacred Scriptures; so that when the time came for thee to suffer for the Faith, thou didst possess the spiritual strength to endure to the end. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion; or this Theotokion, in the same tone-

Christ our Savior, the only-begotten Son of the Father, Who was conceived within thy womb through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, took from thee our human nature and bore it up unto the heights, where He hath enthroned it at the right hand of the Father. Look down, then, from heaven, O immaculate Virgin, upon us, thy lowly servants, and intercede before the all-holy Trinity, that we may receive great mercy.

Polyeleos, and this magnification-

We magnify thee, O holy hieromartyr Boniface, and we reverence thine honored sufferings, which thou didst endure for Christ.

Selected Psalm verses-

A Hear this, all ye nations; give ear, all ye that inhabit the world.

[Ps. 48: 2]

B My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

[Ps. 48: 4]

A Come, ye children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

[Ps. 33: 12]

B I have proclaimed the good tidings of Thy righteousness in the great congregation.

[Ps. 39: 10)

A Thy truth and Thy salvation have I declared.

[Ps. 39: 11]

B I will declare Thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I hymn Thee.

[Ps. 21: 23]

A That I may hear the voice of Thy praise, and tell of all Thy wondrous works.

[Ps. 25: 7]

B O Lord, I have loved the beauty of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth.

[Ps. 25: 8]

A I have hated the congregation of evil-doers, and with the ungodly will I not sit.

[Ps. 25: 5]

B For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and I have not acted impiously toward my God.

[Ps. 17: 22]

A The mouth of the righteous shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak of judgment.

[Ps. 36: 30]

B His righteousness abideth unto ages of ages.

[Ps. 110: 3]

A Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy righteous shall rejoice.

[Ps. 131: 9]

B Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house; unto ages of ages shall they praise Thee.

[Ps. 83: 5]

Glory..., Now & ever...Alleluia... Thrice.

After the Polyeleos, this sessional hymn, in Tone IV-

Even the most eloquent of orators find themselves unable to praise thy valor and endurance as is meet, O holy hieromartyr Boniface; for, unafraid, thou didst face those who slew thee, and with courage didst pray that the Holy Faith be established in their midst. Great is the reward thou hast received for thy steadfastness, O holy one, from the right hand of the Most High. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion; or this Theotokion, in the same tone-

Tossed to and fro upon the sea of life, the ship of my soul, overburdened with a multitude of unrepented sins, is foundering amid the relentless billows of the passions. But do thou save me from sinking because of the weight of sins, O Virgin Mother of God, and like a good helmsman guide me to safe harbor by thy peerless intercessions.

Song of Ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV

Prokimenon, in Tone IV-

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Stichos: What shall I render unto the Lord for all that He hath rendered unto me?

Let every breath praise the Lord.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW, § 38 [MT. 10: 32-38]

The Lord said to His disciples: "Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father Who is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father Who is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be those of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me."

After Psalm 50, this sticheron, in Tone VI-

Wondrous in thee were the works of Christ, the Planter of our salvation , O blessed Boniface! For He set thee to labor as a good husbandman in His garden, where thou didst tend and cultivate many nations, that they might produce fruit an hundredfold for thy Master, to be laid up in the storehouses of heaven. And thou didst train many laborers to toil without ceasing in the vineyard of the Lord after thy departure, that goodly fruits may be harvested for Him by every generation of the faithful.

If the feast fall within the Pentecostarion, we chant the canon therefrom, with 6 troparia, including its irmos, and that of the holy hieromartyr, the acrostic whereof is: "'Well hath Boniface done!", saith the Lord.", with 8 troparia. But if the feast fall after the Pentecostarion, we chant the Canon of Supplication to the Theotokos [the Paraclesis], in Tone VIII, with 6 troparia, including its irmos, and the canon of the saint, with 8 troparia. In Tone I-

Ode I

Irmos: Moses, Who beheld God, proclaimeth praise unto Israel, and Miriam leadeth the all-wise women. Let us all chant a hymn of victory unto God the Deliverer!

Wake thou, O my heart and mind, and beseech the merciful God, that upon me, the unworthy, He bestow the grace to hymn His favored one with goodly praises.

Exult, O Crediton, thou blessed town who didst behold the birth of the holy Boniface, and with his noble parents didst rear him in piety from his earliest years.

Let Exeter, city of Devon, now leap up in jubilation; for within its precincts the blessed Boniface took up the great spiritual struggle, receiving the monastic tonsure and the angelic habit.

Theotokion: Lady Theotokos, Queen of heaven and all creation, with the holy Boniface and all the saints entreat Christ, thy Son and God, that He have mercy upon our souls.

Ode III

Irmos: Let my heart be made firm by the hope of Thy good things, O Christ, that I may unceasingly cry out with hymnody to Thee in song; for no one is holier than Thee, Who lovest mankind.

Hatred and malice didst thou uproot from the hearts of men, O Boniface, when thou didst cure the heathen of the madness of idolatry with the divine remedy of the Christian Faith.

As thou didst journey throughout the lands of the Frisian tribes, O favorite of God, by thy meek and loving character thou didst move them to forsake their false idols and embrace Christ.

The Saxons and Frisians rejoiced in the Lord, having been delivered from their ago-old bondage to sin and the devil by thy courageous preaching of the resurrected Lord.

Theotokion: How can we, who are earthly creatures with tongues of clay, hymn thee as is meet, O Maiden? Yet gratitude doth compel us to sing praises to thee, unworthy though we are.

If the feast fall within the Pentecostarion, we chant here the Kontakion and Ikos therefrom.
Sessional hymn of the hieromartyr, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: "Of the Wisdom…"-

Thou didst not perceive the barbarous Teutons and Frisians as enemies, O Boniface, but rather as sheep led away from the true God by the malice of Satan; and without hesitation thou didst therefore leave the pious and right believing flock, and didst go forth into the wilderness to find those who were lost and to bring them unto the Chief Shepherd. Wherefore, thou didst meet thine end in Dokkum at the hands of the ungodly, and thus dost hear eternally from Merciful One: Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of thy Lord! Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…: Sessional hymn from the Pentecostarion; or this Theotokion-

As the most immaculate Bride of the Creator, as the Mother of the Deliverer, who knewest not wedlock, as the receptacle of the Comforter, O all-hymned one, haste thou to deliver from the machinations of the demons me, who am the vile abode of iniquity and have become in mind their plaything; and make me the splendid habitation of the virtues. Through thy supplications, O radiant and incorrupt one, dispel from me the cloud of the passions, and vouchsafe that on high I may enjoy the never-waning light.

Ode IV

Irmos: Thy grace hath shone forth upon the nations, and the ends of the earth have beheld Thy glory, for by Thy Cross hast Thou saved the whole world.

Be thou glad, O city of Mainz, and thou, O land of Germany, for ye witnessed the apostolic labors of the holy hieromartyr, and are forever rendered glorious thereby.

O how great is the boldness thou hast acquired before the dread throne of the Almighty, O Boniface, as a reward for thy martyric struggle to spread the Christian Faith!

Never shall the renown of thy preaching be dimmed in the minds and hearts of the faithful, O Boniface, for in the low lands thou didst build high the foundation of the Orthodox Church.

Theotokion: If thou wouldst cease to mediate for us, O all-holy Virgin, whose intercession would avail to move thy Son to have mercy on us, wretched as we are?

Ode V

Irmos: O Thou Who has brought the ends of the earth into light out of the darkness of ignorance, enlighten me with the dawn of Thy love for mankind, O Lord.

Frisia and the cold and mist-enshrouded North Sea coasts were filled with the great warmth and radiance of Christian enlightenment when thou didst bring thither the Holy Faith, O saint.

Abbey of Fulda, in exultation lift up thy voice unto Christ God, giving thanks for Boniface, thy founder, who established thee as a house of spiritual refuge amid the barbarian hordes.

Come, ye faithful of German and Dutch descent, and in gratitude for the divine grace of salvation, which God imparted to you through Boniface, worship Him again in the Spirit and in Truth.

Theotokion: Elizabeth exclaimed in awe: "Why is this granted to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?"; but with compunction we cry: O Lady, take pity on us, and beseech thy Son to forgive all our transgressions!

Ode VI

Irmos: Thou didst cast me into the depths of the heart of the sea, and didst save me from the slavery of death, O Savior, and Thou hast loosed me from the bonds of mine iniquities.

Dokkum of Holland was encrimsoned with the blood of thy martyrdom, O Boniface; and there thy pure and wondrous spring gusheth forth healings and cures for the pious even in our days.

O the magnitude and depth of sanctity thou didst attain by the grace of God in thine ascetic struggles and apostolic endeavors, O Boniface, great among monks, hierarchs and martyrs!

Not with threats, nor violence, nor crude intimidation didst thou deal with the heathen, O holy one, but with genuine meekness, profound humility, true charity and love of neighbor.

Theotokion: Ecstasy, bliss and delight hast thou wholly transcended, standing now, deified, at the throne of thy Son and God, O all-immaculate Theotokos, where thou offerest intercession in our behalf.

Kontakion, in Tone VI-

Let all the people of England be glad, and let those of Germany and Holland rejoice! For through Boniface hath the Lord poured forth the grace of salvation, and by him hath He brought them into His heavenly fold, that among the firstborn they may rejoice in jubilation. Wherefore, let us praise him, saying: Rejoice, O Boniface, who didst shed thy blood for the sake of Christ, the Chief Shepherd!

Ikos: O seagirt English realm, lift up thy voice unto the Lord, giving thanks to Him for the goodly gift He bestowed upon thee, the blessed hieromartyr Boniface, whom thou didst nurture from birth and didst rear in piety. And thou, O Germany, do thou likewise give thanks unto God, that He vouchsafed unto thee so great an apostle, to make thee steadfast in the Christian Faith! O ye nether lands, whose soil was drenched with blood at the holy one's martyrdom, do ye also offer thanksgiving unto the Merciful One, for He sent unto you His beloved son to turn your unbelieving hearts to the all-holy Trinity and the True Church. Hearken, all ye nations, and praise the saint of God, saying: Rejoice, O Boniface, who didst shed thy blood for the sake of Christ, the Chief Shepherd!

Ode VII

Irmos: Deal with us in the magnitude of Thy mercy, O Thou Who lovest mankind, that, chanting with faith, we may all sing unto Thee like the children: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Singing now with the angelic choirs, O blessed Boniface, with them look down from heaven upon us sinners, who celebrate thy holy memory with faith and reverence.

All the celestial hosts join chorus around the throne of the Almighty; and the ranks of the saints, Boniface among them, dance for joy in the effulgence of His uncreated light.

In all the lands where thou didst dwell thou didst sow the seed of the Orthodox Faith in the furrows of men's souls, which thou hadst cultivated with the plough of thine apostolic toils.

Theotokion: Take pity, take pity on me, O all-pure Lady Theotokos, and shelter me beneath thy protecting veil, lest the enemy of man seize me and drag me down into the abyss!

Ode VIII

Irmos: The armies of angels hymn Thee; and the human race-priests and servants, and the souls of the righteous-doth glorify Thee as the Creator and Lord of all forever.

Heavy was the surge of the billows of temptations upon the sea of thy life, O holy one; yet, propelled by the wind of the Spirit, the ship of thy sacred ministry attained the harbor of salvation.

Thou didst look upon the barbarian tribes of the Saxons and Frisians as wild vines, which with careful pruning could produce the ripe grapes of salvation, exuding the sweet wine of the virtues.

Holy was thy life of monastic struggle, O noble Boniface! Holy was thy ministry as priest and bishop! And holy also was thy brutal murder, which brought thee to stand in glory before the Holy Trinity!

Theotokion: Every generation of men calleth thee blessed, as thou didst foretell, O Mistress, Bride of God; wherefore, without ceasing we praise thee in hymns and spiritual songs.

Ode IX

Irmos: O most blessed father, who piously uncovered the exalted depths of the inaccessibility of God and didst elevate thy mind as from the incomprehensible stone of the Godhead of the Trinity, we magnify thee.

Laying down thy life for the reason-endowed sheep, O Boniface, thou didst lay up treasure for thyself in the mansions of heaven; and thy glorious martyrdom was shown to be like the chariot of Elijah, bearing thee aloft to the courts of thy God.

Offenses and transgressions have we mindlessly committed against our Savior and Redeemer, O holy hieromartyr Boniface; but as thou hast boldness before the Lord, intercede with Him, that our sins be made whiter than snow.

Reaping the grain of men's souls an hundredfold with the scythe of thy labors, O Boniface, thou didst harvest the crop of the Lord; wherefore, finding thee to be a good husbandman, He hath richly rewarded thee.

Theotokion: Dead and lifeless is my soul become, and cold and hard my heart, O merciful Queen; and there is no repentance in me. But have pity and instill in me contrition for mine evil deeds, I pray.

Exapostilarion of the hieromartyr: Spec. Mel: "The heaven with stars…"-
Directing the steps of thy beautiful feet on high, O hieromartyr Boniface, rejoicing, thou didst mount the path to heaven, where, standing before the Trinity, thou beholdest the Son and the divine Spirit in the Father-the all-holy Trinity, Whom thou didst preach in Orthodox manner. Wherefore, with faith we celebrate thine all-sacred and divine memory.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Exapostilarion from the Pentecostarion; or this Theotokion-
The dread hour of trial is ever before my mind's eye, and I tremble because of the multitude of my wicked deeds; yet have pity, O all-pure Mistress and Lady, and by thy fervent supplication grant me reprieve: for whatsoever thou desirest, thou canst do.

If the feast fall within the Pentecostarion, on the Praises, 6 stichera: 3 from the Pentecostarion, and 3 for the hieromartyr. But if the feast fall outside the Pentecostarion, 4 stichera of the saint (the first being chanted twice), in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: "O all-glorious wonder…"-

O all-glorious wonder! The uncreated light of the grace of God hath through the holy hierarch Boniface warmed the hearts of the heathens, which had long been held fast in the ice of the malice of the devil, but have now been miraculously thawed by the outpouring of the martyr's ardent blood, willingly shed for Christ his Master.
O all-glorious wonder! Having flourished like a palm-tree in the courts of God, thou, O Boniface, didst behold thy disciples like fruitful olive-trees round about the table of the Lord. For some suffered martyrdom with thee at the hands of the pagans, and others followed thee on high by carrying on thine apostolic labors.
O all-glorious wonder! Using theology as a plough, with pious endeavor thou didst clear the field of thy mission, ridding it of the tares and nettles which hindered the spiritual germination of the seed of the Orthodox Faith, that had been planted by thy predecessors and were nurtured by thee and watered by the blood thou didst shed for the Lord, the great Husbandman.

Glory…, in Tone VI-

Let all the cities and lands where Boniface dwelt and struggled rejoice, exult and dance in jubilation! In Devon of England let Crediton be glad in his birth and childhood, and let Exeter rejoice in his monastic tonsure. Let Nursling of Wessex exult, and therewith let the blessed Isle of Wight join chorus, which delighted in his godly preaching. Let the lands of the Franks and the Saxons give thanks unto the Lord for the archpastor who nourished them on the sweet grass of piety and knowledge divine. Let the city of Mainz, beloved of the holy hierarch, lift up its voice in gratitude unto God, in that He gave it so great a hierarch as a luminous beacon of the Faith. Let the River Rhine bear his praises thence down to the nether lands of the Frisians, where the godly hieromartyr proclaimed the Christian Faith and willingly laid down his life for his sheep, hewn down with his holy companions by the swords of the barbarians. In Germany let the blessed Fulda shine in splendor, reflecting the all-radiant grace of God, which came to abide in the saint through his steadfast cleaving to the Orthodox Faith and his unceasing ascetic struggles and prayers, and which now shineth forth from his precious relics upon all who with faith lovingly honor his all-praised memory.

Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion; or this Theotokion, in the same tone-

O Theotokos, thou art the true vine who hast budded forth for us the Fruit of life. Entreat Him with our venerable father Boniface and all the saints, we pray thee, O Mistress, that our souls find mercy.

Great Doxology. Troparia. Litanies. Dismissal. First Hour.

At Liturgy

On the Beatitudes, 8 troparia: If the feast fall within the Pentecostarion, 4 from the ode appointed by the Pentecostarion & 4 from Ode VI of the canon of the hieromartyr. But if the feast fall outside the Pentecostarion, 4 from Ode III and 4 from Ode VI of the canon of the saint.

Prokimenon, in Tone VII-

The saints shall boast in glory, and they shall rejoice upon their beds.
Stichos: Sing unto the Lord a new song; His praise is in the Church of the saints.

Epistle to Timothy, § 292 [II Tim. 2: 1-10]

Timothy my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him Who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman who laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my Gospel: wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the Word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elects' sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Alleluia, in Tone II-

Stichos: Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy righteous shall rejoice.
Stichos: For the Lord hath elected Sion, He hath chosen her to be a habitation for Himself.

Gospel according to Matthew, § 36
[Mt. 10: 16-32]

The Lord said to His disciples: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he who endureth to the end shall be saved."

Communion Verse-

In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings.