The Akathist to Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Prince Vladimir is a prayer read in churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in honor of the equal-to-the-apostles grand prince Vladimir, who accepted Christianity in 988. He is considered one of the most important figures in the history of Ukraine and Russia.
Reading this akathist helps believers to pay homage to this great prince and to ask for his intercession and protection. It also helps believers to deepen their understanding of the history of Ukraine and Russia and their connection to Christianity.
Condak 1
Chosen Lamp of the Lord, you dispelled the darkness of idolatry in your realm and illuminated the faithful with the light of divine truth. We extol you, holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir; you, standing fearlessly before the King of Kings, do not cease to pray for your people and, through your prayers, preserve us from all afflictions and evils, that we may call out to you with gratitude and humility:
Rejoice, Vladimir, enlightener of our land.
Icos 1
Creator of angels and men, who established the times and the seasons, and who ordains the destinies of nations and peoples, when you willed to call the Russian people from the darkness of idolatry to the light of eternal truth and righteousness, you appointed you, O faithful Prince, as herald and fulfiller of your most benevolent will. Therefore, giving thanks to the Creator and Savior of our souls, we hymn you as the great elect of God, chosen for our salvation, and we call out to you with joy:
Rejoice, O Equal-to-the-Apostles, chosen by the all-wise Providence for the enlightenment of the Russian people;
Rejoice, O herald of the Gospel, proclaimed on the hills of Kiev.
Rejoice, O vessel of divine grace, endowed with the power of your realm;
Rejoice, O wondrous root, from which the great tree of Orthodox faith has grown on our land.
Rejoice, for through you the name of the Lord is glorified in all the regions of your land;
Rejoice, for your glorious name is sung with love by all the Russian people.
Rejoice, Vladimir, enlightener of our land.
Condak 2
Seeing the vanity of lifeless idols and the deceit of the devil, by which he entices the dark-minded to the snare of iniquity, and hearing the holy first martyrs of Russia, Theodore and John, speaking to the impious tormentor: “Your gods are not gods, but a tree that now stands, and three have withered away. There is one God, the true God, who created heaven and earth”; then your heart was set aflame, and you sought and found this one true God, to whom every knee of heaven, earth, and underworld bows, and you hymned him unceasingly:
Alleluia
Icos 2
The all-wise God enlightened you when the missionaries of different faiths came to you, and you strove not to be caught in the snare of false teachings, but to find the true and saving faith. Therefore, we praise you:
Rejoice, O wise enlightener of our people;
Rejoice, O God-illumined mind.
Rejoice, for you have confounded the cunning and deceitful words of false teachers;
Rejoice, for you have understood the words of eternal life in the sayings of the true Wisdom.
Rejoice, O ray of divine light in the midst of the darkness of false teachings;
Rejoice, O unshakeable fortress in the midst of the storm of pagan passions.
Rejoice, Vladimir, enlightener of our land.
Kontakion 3
Empowered by power from above, Thou did send chosen men into other lands, that they might see and experience how certain nations serve God and how they manifest their faith through their deeds; these, having tested all things well, reached Constantinople, where, seeing the behautiful performance of the Divine Mystery, they deemed it for themselves to stand not on earth, but in heaven, and with veneration of heart they gave up praise to the Lord, saying:
Alleluia
Ikos 3
Having a firm conviction in their hearts that the faith of the Greek-East is truly Orthodox, and that its mysteries are more magnificent than all others, the men sent by thee, having returned to their Fatherland, confessed this before Thy face and before Thy elders, saying: “No one, having tasted the sweet, desires the bitter; so likewise can we no longer remain here and serve an idol.” Receiving such tidings, Thou did set ablaze with zeal for the true faith. For this reason we magnify thee:
Rejoice, O who attended diligently to the voice of Divine grace;
rejoice, O who earnestly followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, for Thou didst instruct Thy counselors with wisdom;
rejoice, for Thou didst draw all Thy people to the true faith through Thy counsels.
Rejoice, for Thou didst diligently seek the good pearl of Christ;
rejoice, O industrious bee, who wisely sought out the flowers, and found in them the sweet honey of truth and salvation.
Rejoice, O Vladimir, enlightener of our land.
Kontakion 4
By the storm of doubts and perplexities Thou wert not never shaken, always desiring to know the true, Orthodox faith, but suddenly willed to receive Holy Baptism with all thy might, so that together with it, as a father with his children, thou might worthily sing to God:
Alleluia
Ikos 4
Having heard the bishops and elders regarding the true faith, they remembered thy holy forematriarch the Princess Olga, who received Holy Baptism in Constantinople, and said: “Had this faith not been good, this wisest of women would not have received it.” Wherefore we also, ever remembering the wise Olga, with thanksgiving cry out to thee:
Rejoice, for Thou didst preserve the Divine seed, which thy blessed forematrix bore in the midst of her heart;
rejoice, for Thou didst follow those holy covenants.
Rejoice, for Thou didst foresee in her the dawn of salvation of thy people;
rejoice, O sun, risen after that dawn.
Rejoice, O light, who didst enlighten thy elders;
rejoice, having brought all thy people to Christ.
Rejoice, O Vladimir, enlightener of our land.
Condak 5
Thou didst desire to receive the divine garment of Holy Baptism, and thou didst ponder whence and how thou wouldst obtain such a multitude of pastors and teachers, that they might enlighten all thy people with thee, and how thou wouldst take unto thyself a wife, a woman of greater faith, a good builder of thy house, a mother to thy children in Christ, a counselor to all in piety, and having considered all these things, thy spirit led thee to the land of the Greeks, where the faithful, from ancient times, have piously hymned God:
Alleluia
Icos 5
Beholding the Greek emperors, all thy land was in darkness, enslaved by idolatry, and they did not care for thee, as thou didst serve idols, but having been conquered by thee, and having received the strong will of thy holy Baptism, and having led all thy people to Christ, thou didst fulfill the joy, and thou didst give thy sister Anna in marriage, and the pastors and teachers of thy people didst rejoice.
Rejoice, for the East from above hath visited thee;
Rejoice, for the star of the Most High hath led thee to the East, where Wisdom hath created a house for herself, and hath established seven pillars, seven Ecumenical Councils, which have established the faith of Christ throughout the world.
Rejoice, for this is the apostolic faith, this faith hath established the whole world;
Rejoice, for thou hast received the pure teaching of Christ from the pure source.
Rejoice, thou good ruler of thy house and thy children;
Rejoice, thou wise instructor of all thy people.
Rejoice, Vladimir, our land’s enlightener.
Condak 6
Pastors and teachers, whom thou didst receive from the Greek emperors, as if to nourish thy people with divine teachings, they didst strive with diligence in their work, and with gratitude, they didst thank the one who called thy people to salvation, the Lord God:
Alleluia
Icos 6
A wondrous, sensible light shone in thy eyes, which had been darkened by the disease of blindness, and in thy soul, the light of grace shone, when, having been enlightened by the divine Baptism, thou didst come out of the holy font, and having experienced this, thou didst joyfully exclaim: “Now I have known the True God.” Therefore, we praise thee:
Rejoice, lamp, kindled by the fire of divine grace in the darkness of paganism;
Rejoice, herald of the light of Christ, opening the eyes and hearts of thy people, which had been darkened.
Rejoice, for thou hast seen with thy wise eyes the providence of God regarding thy kingdom;
Rejoice, for thou hast striven to the end, that all thy people may be enlightened by it.
Rejoice, thou glorious head of the Russian princes;
Rejoice, thou most glorious ornament and praise of the Church of Christ.
Rejoice, Vladimir, our land’s enlightener.
Condak 7
Although Thou hast enlightened the Russian people with the Divine Baptism, Thou didst first command Thy sons and nobles to be baptized, that all people, following in their footsteps, might approach the Holy Baptism with good intention, devoutly calling upon God:
Alleluia
Icos 7
Thou hast revealed to us a new creation in Christ through the Holy Baptism, an image of Thy life, O blessed Prince. Thou wast a zealous one, first being an idolater, but following the faith of Christ, Thou didst zealously strive; Thou didst love gentleness and mercy, self-control and chastity, and all Thy life according to the Lord’s commandments. Marveling at this good change, we devoutly call upon Thee:
Rejoice, for Thou hast quenched the flame of passions within Thee with the dew of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, for Thou hast warmed all Thy thoughts and feelings with the fire of Divine grace.
Rejoice, O city of the Lord, holy churches, beloved above all earthly cities;
Rejoice, O Divine services and the teachings of Christ, sought above all deeds and teachings.
Rejoice, for Thou hast shown Thyself to all Thy people as an image of the new life;
Rejoice, O good provider and guardian of the poor and the needy.
Rejoice, Vladimir, enlightener of our land.
Condak 8
This wondrous and joy-bringing vision was seen, when the multitude of men and women, youths and maidens, and even the innocent infants, with joy, flowed towards the Dnieper River, as to the Jordan, where they were baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, with the priest on the barge offering sacred prayers and singing a hymn to the Lord:
Alleluia
Icos 8
Thou wast filled with an inexpressible joy, O blessed Prince, seeing Thy people being baptized, and with a heart full of compassion, Thou didst praise the Savior God, fervently praying Him to look upon the newly enlightened people, to establish them in faith and piety, and to glorify His name in the Russian lands. Remembering this glorious and blessed event, we offer Thee hymns of thanksgiving and praise:
Rejoice, O savior of countless souls in our land;
Rejoice, O fountain of blessings and mercies of God, never lacking for Thy people.
Rejoice, O good gardener of the Divine faith, planting the garden of faith in Thy kingdom;
Rejoice, O fountain of sweetness, nourishing our people with the water of piety.
Rejoice, for Thou hast glorified the Divine faith and hast despised the idolatrous deceit;
Rejoice, for Thou hast given Thee the wisdom of Solomon, the gentleness of David, the zeal of Elijah, and the apostolic faith.
Rejoice, Vladimir, enlightener of our land.
Condak 9
All the nature of angels, guardians of the human race, extol Thee, O righteous prince, when Thou didst command parents to instruct their children in the written word, that they might understand what they believe and know how to live a good life in accordance with their faith. For this reason, behold now the children who are studying the Divine Scriptures, and their parents, the pastors and teachers who assist them in their learning, and bless, strengthen, and guide them in their endeavors, that they may grow in true faith and in a good life, singing to God:
Alleluia
Icos 9
The deeds of thy many benefactions cannot be adequately described, O prince, for thou hast established in thy land the Divine faith, delivered it from the darkness of paganism and eternal perdition, revealed to it the path of true enlightenment, salvation, and earthly prosperity. For this reason, we call out to thee with gratitude and piety:
Rejoice, O mighty and glorious founder of the Russian land;
rejoice, O establisher of true enlightenment and piety in it.
Rejoice, O destroyer of pagan superstitions and evil customs in thy people;
rejoice, O consumer of idolatrous offerings and idols.
Rejoice, O creator of holy churches;
rejoice, O equal-to-the-apostles Emperor Constantine, thy like.
Rejoice, O Vladimir, enlightener of our land.
Condak 10
Although thou didst save thy kingdom from eternal perdition, which was perishing in the depths of idolatry, thou didst undertake great labors and concerns, visiting the cities and villages of thy land and sending spiritual pastors everywhere, that they might enlighten and instruct thy people in the Divine faith and the Holy Baptism, teaching them to worship the One True God:
Alleluia
Icos 10
Thou wast a strong wall for thy land in all the days of thy life, opposing its enemies and the cause of its prosperity and glory; be now an unshakeable defender against visible and invisible enemies, and a helper in times of need and tribulation, and we, with love, cry out to thee:
Rejoice, O most benevolent shepherd of our people;
rejoice, O most compassionate father of the poor and the afflicted.
Rejoice, O ready helper of those seeking eternal salvation and true enlightenment;
rejoice, O glory and joy of our land.
Rejoice, O intimate helper in the difficult task of governing the people;
rejoice, O mighty ally in the battle of our warriors.
Rejoice, O Vladimir, enlightener of our land.
Condak 11
Receive our humble hymn, O merciful God, and crush our enemies with your prayers. Plant the Orthodox faith among the Russian people, who are ignorant of the true God. Eradicate all heresies and schisms from them, that all the sons of our land may praise God with one voice and one heart, singing to Him:
Alleluia
Icos 11
You are the radiant light, illuminating our land with the brilliance of your presence, O glorious Prince Vladimir. You dispel the darkness of idolatry and reveal the path to true enlightenment and heavenly bliss. For this reason, we praise you, saying:
Rejoice, star, enlightened by the invisible Sun of Truth;
Rejoice, guide, who opens the right path to eternal salvation for us.
Rejoice, powerful helper and stronghold of Orthodox preachers;
Rejoice, dear protector of good instructors of youth and all those who labor for the common good.
Rejoice, speedy helper of all who come to you for aid;
Rejoice, for you provide beneficial counsel to those who devoutly honor you.
Rejoice, Vladimir, enlightener of our land.
Condak 12
Grant us the gift of the Holy Spirit, O merciful pastor, from the all-bountiful God and our Savior, that we may be instructed and strengthened in the work of salvation. May the holy faith, which you have planted in us, not be barren, but may those who turn away from the paths of wickedness and error walk in the light of God’s commandments and attain eternal bliss, singing to God:
Alleluia
Icos 12
We sing your numerous and glorious benefactions, revealed in our realm through the enlightenment of the divine faith, and your great labors and endeavors, undertaken for its well-being. We devoutly thank and praise you, saying:
Rejoice, elect and blessed ruler of our land;
Rejoice, unshakeable defense of it, protector, and safeguard.
Rejoice, tree of paradise, which has produced two wondrous branches, the holy passion-bearers Boris and Gleb;
Rejoice, first leader of the saints of our Church.
Rejoice, co-ruler with the apostles and imitator;
Rejoice, for you have brought attention to our land and intercede before God for its temporal and eternal welfare.
Rejoice, Vladimir, enlightener of our land.
Condak 13
Oh, most glorious and wondrous equal-to-the-apostles, great Prince Vladimir, graciously accept from us this thanksgiving for all that the Lord has bestowed upon us through you, our father and ancestor, and upon our entire land, from the day of Baptism to this very hour, and pray to the all-beneficent God to grant us His mercy, to establish us in the faith and in righteousness, to protect us from all evils and misfortunes, that we may be worthy, as children with their father, to hymn God eternally:
Alleluia
This condak is read three times, followed by the 1st ikos “Creator of angels and of men…” and the 1st condak “Of the chosen lampstand…”.
Prayer
Oh, great and blessed servant of God, chosen and glorified by God, equal-to-the-apostles Prince Vladimir! You rejected the evil and unrighteousness of paganism, believed in the One True Trihypostatic God, and, receiving the Holy Baptism, illuminated the entire land with the light of divine faith and righteousness. Therefore, glorifying and thanking the merciful Creator and Savior of us all, we praise, thank, and honor you, our illuminator and father, for through you we have come to know the saving faith of Christ and have been baptized in the name of the Holy and Life-Creating Trinity; by that faith, we have been delivered from the righteous judgment of God, from the eternal slavery of the devil, and from the torment of hell; by that faith, we have received the grace of adoption to God and the hope of inheriting the heavenly blessedness. You are our first leader to the Lord and Savior of our eternal salvation, Jesus Christ; you are our warm intercessor and advocate for our land, our army, and all people. Our tongue cannot express the greatness and height of the blessings that you have poured out upon our land, upon our ancestors, and upon us, unworthy ones. Oh, all-beneficent father and illuminator of ours! Look upon our weakness and pray to the merciful King of Heaven not to be angry with us, for we sin daily because of our weakness, not to destroy us with our transgressions, but to have mercy on us and save us according to His mercy, to plant in our heart the saving fear of Him, to enlighten our mind with His grace, that we may understand the ways of the Lord, leave the paths of unrighteousness and error, and strive in the paths of salvation and truth, in the unshakeable fulfillment of God’s commandments and the holy canons of the Church. Pray, benevolent one, to the Lover of Mankind, to grant us His great mercy, to deliver us from the invasion of foreigners, from internal disturbances, rebellions, and divisions, from famine, deadly diseases, and from all evil, to give us a blessing of the air and a fruitful land, to give us pastors who will be zealous for the salvation of their flock, to all people to give the opportunity to serve their own service zealously, to have love among themselves and unity, to strive for the good of the Fatherland and the Holy Church, to have the light of saving faith shine in our land in all its parts, to have the unbelieving turn to faith, to have all heresies and schisms abolished, and to live in peace on earth, that we may be worthy, with you, of eternal blessedness, glorifying and exalting God eternally. Amen.