The Akathist to Saint John of Sochiavsky is a prayer that helps us delve deeper into the life and martyrdom of this great saint. Reading this akathist helps us gain spiritual strength, faith, and hope, especially in difficult times.
Condak 1
Most blessed defender, vanquisher, and destroyer of unrighteousness, newly-martyred and righteous warrior of Christ, who shone forth as the sun of the Eastern Church and fulfilled the joy of the faithful, we now offer to You from the depths of our soul a hymn of thanksgiving and praise, singing with love:
Rejoice, O John, Christ’s great martyr.
Icos 1
Your life, dear John, was beloved by angels, bearing the sufferings of Christ. For in Your body, You lived a life angelic on earth, filled with mercy and unceasing prayers, and also with sufferings. Therefore, we offer to You this hymn of praise, as is fitting:
Rejoice, for You were made like the angels by Your fasting and unceasing prayers;
Rejoice, for You terrified demons with Your mercies and tears.
Rejoice, for You comforted the sorrowful;
Rejoice, for You helped the afflicted.
Rejoice, for You appeared as a terrestrial angel in Your dead body;
Rejoice, for You were a heavenly man in Your wisdom.
Rejoice, for You were born of pious parents;
Rejoice, for You preserved the Orthodox faith until the end.
Rejoice, for You were born in the renowned city of Trebizond;
Rejoice, for You were completely adorned with all virtues.
Rejoice, for You appeared as a skilled merchant on the sea;
Rejoice, for You wisely managed the commerce of Your soul.
Rejoice, O John, Christ’s great martyr.
Condak 2
Beholding, O Christ’s great martyr, the cunning of the devil, which arose among the infidels against You, in order to remove You from the Orthodox faith, but with the wisdom given to You by God, You recognized the deceit of the sorcerer, and, untouched by the blessings of the Most High, You remained steadfast and sang:
Alleluia
Icos 2
With the mind enlightened from above, You, most blessed one, recognized the calumny spread by the heretic Reiz against You, to the bishop of Belgrade, a pagan, as if You would have been willing to depart from the true Christian faith; and although he tried to persuade You in every way, You remained unshaken. Therefore, we hear and offer this hymn, as is fitting:
Rejoice, for You exposed the lying Reiz;
Rejoice, for You remained unshaken like a pillar.
Rejoice, for You did not accept the bishop’s flattery;
Rejoice, for You strengthened the faithful in piety.
Rejoice, for You did not desire to eat the sun and the moon;
Rejoice, for You blasphemed this impious priest.
Rejoice, for You preached the One God in the Trinity;
Rejoice, for You did not profane the Christian faith.
Rejoice, for You said that the creature is a light, and not gods;
Rejoice, for You were martyred because of this.
Rejoice, for You exposed the bishop before all;
Rejoice, for You tried to bring him to piety.
Rejoice, O John, Christ’s great martyr.
Condak 3
By the power of the Holy Spirit’s grace, you were strengthened, and with great boldness, you proclaimed to the emperor, a soldier of Jesus Christ: “Do not rely on the hope that you will ever depart from Christ my Lord, and that you will worship a creature more than the Creator!” May this not be, until my breath departs, and thus with a mighty voice, you cried out:
Alleluia
Icos 3
Having in your face, O Christ-bearer, joy, when you spoke to the bishop, and you were not afraid, nor did you tremble. He, however, could not endure this, and with fierce anger, he ordered many whips to be brought and for you to be stripped naked; but you, as one who had found another treasure, for this reason, we cry out to you:
Rejoice, for when you saw the whips, you were not afraid;
Rejoice, for you opposed the tyrant even more and more by your vision.
Rejoice, for you laid aside your old garments on the earth;
Rejoice, for you were clothed in the purple of incorruption in heaven.
Rejoice, for you did not fear mortal torments;
Rejoice, for you were severely tormented by the negligence of these torturers.
Rejoice, for you rebuked him before those who stood before him;
Rejoice, for you confessed yourself to be a servant of God.
Rejoice, for you preserved the paternal teachings;
Rejoice, for you did not receive the sacrifices of the emperor’s gods.
Rejoice, for you said that you would not be tormented without a trial;
Rejoice, for you sent those who tormented you to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Rejoice, O John, great martyr of Christ.
Condak 4
A storm of passions was unleashed upon you, O much-suffering one, when you said, “I will worship the Creator, not the creation,” and when the wicked tormentor heard your words, he thought to subdue you to his will, but he was filled with a strange and foolish anger, and he began to torment you. But you, O martyr of Christ, with manly endurance, were strengthened by God with joy, and you sang:
Alleluia
Icos 4
The faithful heard that your heart was like adamant, O blessed martyr of Christ, when you suffered for the sake of the Desired One, and that you were not counted among those who suffered, but were strengthened by the grace of Christ, and that you overcame the anger of the tormentor, like a venomous asp, and that you flowed with joy even in the most severe torments; for this reason, we hear from you:
Rejoice, for you were stretched out on the earth, naked, and subjected to torments;
Rejoice, for you had eyes that saw above to heaven.
Rejoice, for when you were beaten with whips that were like scorpions, without mercy, you did not weaken;
Rejoice, for your tormentors were weakened.
Rejoice, for you endured the dismemberment of your body with courage;
Rejoice, for you provoked the tormentors to anger.
Rejoice, for your flesh, which was stuck to the whips, rose up to heaven;
Rejoice, for you gathered the angels to your wonder.
Rejoice, for you stained the earth with your blood;
Rejoice, for you trampled Satan underfoot.
Rejoice, for you gave thanks to the Lord Christ for this;
Rejoice, for He has strengthened you even in the most severe torments.
Rejoice, O John, great martyr of Christ.
Condak 5
Oh, star of divine light, who guided the Magi to the righteous Sun, you were similar, great martyr of Christ, leading to the knowledge of the true God, to Whom you prayed, and the tormentor, filled with greater wrath, tormented you cruelly, as you endured sufferings with courage, crying out from the depths of your heart to Christ:
Alleluia
Icos 5
Beholding you, faithful ones, by the imperial command, bound with chains, the soldier of Christ, John, was cast into prison, left to endure the most severe torments, and your entire body was shattered by beating, overwhelmed with great sorrow, on the next day, you were brought before the judge again, and standing before the tormentor, you appeared with a joyful countenance, and the wicked one was greatly astonished and terrified, and for this reason, we call you blessed:
Rejoice, for you have terrified the devil;
rejoice, for you dwelled in prison.
Rejoice, for you have been settled in the radiant paradise;
rejoice, for, wounded with severe wounds throughout your body, you appeared joyful.
Rejoice, for the fierce tormentor was astonished at this;
rejoice, for you were not concerned about the healing of the wounds on your body.
Rejoice, for your outer man was destroyed;
rejoice, for your inner man was renewed.
Rejoice, for the severe torments were imagined against you by the tormentor;
rejoice, for you received them with love.
Rejoice, for your soul has flourished more beautifully;
Rejoice, John, great martyr of Christ.
Condak 6
You preached, illustrious martyr of Christ, about the grace of God, which was to come to you, and, attentive to this thought, you endured sufferings, scourging, and the laceration of your flesh with courage, and for this reason, the tyrant, filled with greater wrath, was multiplied in his anger, like a wild beast, and commanded to torment you severely and to beat you without mercy; in this state, you cried out to God:
Alleluia
Icos 6
Shining with the martyr’s exploit, martyr of Christ John, you were tormented in this way, just as your inner man was shaken, and your tormentors were weakened by merciless blows, and they were changed in their intentions; but you, noble soldier, did not change your mind towards your Lord Jesus, but prayed more fervently, that He might grant you to endure to the end. We, protected by your prayers, cry out to you:
Rejoice, for you, tormented by Christ without mercy, did not change in patience;
rejoice, for your tormentors were changed.
Rejoice, for you stood firm in mind in God, strengthening you;
rejoice, for Christ visited you with the grace of the Holy Spirit from above.
Rejoice, for all who gathered to witness the cruelty of the tormentor were reproached;
rejoice, for a heavenly, uncreated garment was sent to you from heaven.
Rejoice, for your tormentors were weakened, rejoice, for many were filled with sorrow at seeing you;
Rejoice, for you bore the wounds of Christ on your body;
rejoice, for Christ prepared for you an imperishable crown in heaven.
Rejoice, John, great martyr of Christ.
Kontakion 7
Though thou, blessed martyr, the persecutor sought to bend thee to his own will, and lacking more cruel tortures, he commanded a fierce horse to be brought forth, and thy holy feet to be firmly bound to its hoof, and to drag thee through all the streets of the city. But thou, soldier of Christ, being so dragged, were an honor to both angels and men who sing to God:
Alleluia
Ikos 7
Seeing thee as a new zealot for piety, the ungodly devised an unusual torment for thee, passion-bearer of Christ: while being dragged by a swift-moving beast, parts of thy body being torn away upon the rocks, remained, and thy head was crushed; but the faithful, seeing this, embraced thee with great sorrow; while thou, having a sorrowful heart toward God, prayed in secret. For this reason we, thy servants, marvel, and sing to thee these praisings:
Rejoice, for by thy sufferings thou wert a preacher of the Holy Trinity; rejoice, for by thy steadfast patience thou wert the foundation of good faith.
Rejoice, for thou wert kindled by an unspeakable love toward God;
rejoice, for for His sake thou didst the shattering of thy flesh.
Rejoice, for thou wert an object of wonder to the faithful;
rejoice, for thy head, being dragged for the sake of Christ, was crushed upon the stone.
Rejoice, for by thy prayers the head of the invisible enemy was shaken; rejoice, for the earth was encircled by thy shed blood.
Rejoice, for Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven granted thee a crown of incorruption;
rejoice, for for His sake thou did suffer on earth.
Rejoice, for with Him thou reignest in the Heavens.
Rejoice, John Greatmartyr of Christ.
Kontakion 8
Having seen a wondrous power in thee, O cursed race, martyr of Christ, when the fierce horse was dragging thee through the street: some mocked thee, others turned away their faces so that they might have stones to throw at thee, while others mocked, performing unbecoming deeds. But thou, noble soldier of Christ, didst endure with thanksgiving, never ceasing to praise God who strengtheneth thee:
Alleluia
Ikos 8
Having all Jesus in thy blessed soul and mind, passion-bearer, and finally reaching the completion of thy ascetic struggle, one of the Jews who mocked thee went to his own house, taking a bared sword, and cut off thy honorable and holy head, and by this delivered thy radiant soul into the hand of Christ, whom thou didst desire. Wherefore thou didst hear these from us:
Rejoice, for thou did receive the mockery and humiliation of the Jews for the sake of Christ;
rejoice, for by this thou followed Jesus, who was humiliated by them.
Rejoice, for thou wert being struck by the Jews;
rejoice, for just as Christ did for us sinners, so thou didst bravely endure torments for the sake of Christ.
Rejoice, for the cursed race cut off thy head with a sword;
rejoice, for Jesus crowned thy head with a radiant crown.
Rejoice, for together with the martyrs thou art glorified in the heavenly dwellings;
rejoice, for we the faithful have thee as a constant intercessor before God.
Rejoice, for thy prayers are pleasing to God;
rejoice, for thy memory is honorable in the Church of Christ.
Rejoice, for thy name glads all those who honor the Orthodox faith.
Rejoice, John Greatmartyr of Christ.
Kontakion 9
Seeing the faithful, after the beheading of thy honorable head and the departure of thy holy soul from the body, most glorious martyr, grieved over thy flesh lying with its severed head, unburied and despised; but on the following night, a wondrous miracle of great glory occurred: a pillar unto the heavens was seen above thy holy relics; candles burned, and men clad in white vestments censing incense around thy body, singing unsutterable and sacred words, and thou with them also didst sing unto God:
Alleluia
Ikos 9
Eloquent orators cannot utter the song, being sung by angels around thy holy relics, blest martyr; but one of the Jews, hearing this, thought that thou wert an earthly man; he drew his bow and lo an arrow, but this wretched man succeeded to no end, for he became a spectacle of sorrow to all. We likewise, marveling at this wonder, cry out to thee:
Rejoice, worthy of angelic burial song;
rejoice, for Christ looked down from Heavens upon thy holy relics.
Rejoice, for a pillar of fire was seen unto the heavens above thy holy relics;
rejoice, for this this terrified many.
Rejoice, for the said Jew was punished by the wrath of God;
rejoice, for through this great glory did come to pass unto thy holy relics.
Rejoice, for the people gathered together at the shame of that Jew;
rejoice, for by his confession before all he was saved from the punishment.
Rejoice, for having seen this wonder, the tormentor was greatly filled with fear;
rejoice, for for this reason he commanded thee to be buried.
Rejoice, for the Church finds pleasing thy be buried, honorable body;
rejoice, for thy holy soul hath dwelled in the celestial abodes.
Rejoice, O John great martyr of Christ.
Kontakion 10
Wishing, O long-suffering martyr of Christ, to steal thy honorable and long-suffering body from thy slanderer and traitor and bring it into his fatherland, but thou, warrior of Christ, didst quickly appear unto the priest of that church in a dream and didst make him know of this; he then ran to the church and took away thy honorable relics from his hands, censing them with joy:
Alleluia
Ikos 10
When, O martyr of Christ, thy honorable and holy relics were saved from foreigners by the providence of God, and having been placed upon the altar near the holy table, where the Lamb is always sacrificed for our salvation, unto Him also thou didst become offered as a living sacrifice. The faithful, having seen this, glorified the generous God, who glorifies His own saints, and with them we also bring unto thee these songs of praise:
Rejoice, for thy holy relics remained unlooted and unharmed;
rejoice, for the unbeliever was put to shame and driven in vain.
Rejoice, for by priests of the Church thy honorable relics were placed upon the altars;
rejoice, for the faithful rejoiced at this.
Rejoice, for through them wonders are continually performed;
rejoice, for by them many demons are ever driven out.
Rejoice, for a pillar of fire appeared from the heavens above them;
rejoice, for the Angels descended to them.
Rejoice, for a multitude of fragrance proceeds from them;
rejoice, for every sickness is healed by thee.
Rejoice, for the news of the wonders performed by thee hath gone everywhere;
rejoice, for to the end of the earth, God having so
Condak 11
Thy hymns, O most glorious one, are not to be praised by the abundance of praise, for the beauty of thy grace, as it is from thy holy and sacred relics, O most glorious martyr of Christ; not only men, but also kings and princes reverence and worship and kiss thee with love. Thou, as having boldness before God and the Lord of all, do ask for us all, in this life, bodily health, and in the future, eternal salvation, singing to God with love:
Alleluia
Icos 11
The light-bearing candle is thy holy and sacred relics, O most afflicted martyr of Christ, John, placed on the candlestick of the Church of Christ, illuminating a great period of time, the place where thou didst suffer, also by the blessing of God, and the diligence of the pious ruler, transferred to Moldavia, they shine unceasingly, and to all who approach them with faith and love, they pour forth rays of miracles.
Rejoice, O light of the unending and intellectual light;
Rejoice, for thou dost illuminate the whole world.
Rejoice, O radiant dawn of the unending day;
Rejoice, for thou wast removed from us by the will of God.
Rejoice, for thou didst illuminate that place with the rays of the grace of Christ for a long time;
Rejoice, for thou didst return to us again by the providence of God.
Rejoice, O humbly fragrant one, fragranting the Church of Christ;
Rejoice, for thou dost grant to all who come to thy sacred relics the heavenly fragrance of thy soul.
Rejoice, O vessel of the peace of Christ, inexhaustible and containing countless remedies for diseases;
Rejoice, for thou art the generous giver of all blessings to those who ask.
Rejoice, for the grace and glory of the King of Heaven have been poured out upon thee;
Rejoice, for thou dost abundantly grant healing to all who ask.
Rejoice, O great martyr of Christ, John.
Condak 12
Thou didst receive the grace from God, all-powerful and most afflicted martyr, to heal all diseases and mental and bodily afflictions. Now, standing before Christ, who strengthened thee in thy sufferings, do not cease to intercede for us, asking for bodily health and eternal salvation, with reverence and love, honoring thy sacred memory, singing to God:
Alleluia
Ikos 12
Let us sing, venerate, glorify, and extol your numerous sufferings, your patience until the end, your nobility, your ascent, and your adamant-like firmness, which you have surpassed in your body, O Lord Christ, and which has been shown to us through your earthly and heavenly glory. And to us, unworthy ones, you have granted this gift, O holy and victorious martyr, John the Theologian, as we cry out to you with the following hymn:
Rejoice, for you remain and dwell in the place of the heavenly hosts;
Rejoice, for you were led by the right hand of the King Christ with glory and honor, and you were crowned with great glory.
Rejoice, for the Lord received you into eternal rest through your many sufferings;
Rejoice, for you have acquired an unseizable treasure in heaven.
Rejoice, for your reward is great in the light of the saints, prepared for you;
Rejoice, for you are a warm intercessor in temptations and necessities.
Rejoice, O most generous intercessor for us, source of joy and eternal glory;
Rejoice, for through you we hope to receive eternal blessings.
Rejoice, O John, great martyr and victorious martyr of Christ.
Kondak 13
O holy and great martyr, victorious martyr of Christ, John, accept this prayer offered to you from our impure lips with humility, and through your merciful prayers, deliver us from all spiritual and bodily afflictions, from visible and invisible enemies, and from eternal torments. May we sing to God together with you in the future life, in the dwellings of the saints:
Alleluia
Ikos 1
Your life, O John, was beloved by angels, bearing the sufferings of Christ. For in your body, you lived an angelic life on earth, filled with mercy and unceasing prayers, and also with sufferings. Therefore, we offer to you this praise, worthy of your dignity:
Rejoice, for you have been likened to angels through your fasting and unceasing prayers;
Rejoice, for you have terrified demons with your mercy and tears.
Rejoice, for you have comforted the sorrowful;
Rejoice, for you have helped the afflicted.
Rejoice, for you appeared as a heavenly angel in a dead body;
Rejoice, for you were a heavenly man in wisdom.
Rejoice, for you were born from righteous parents;
Rejoice, for you preserved the Orthodox faith until the end.
Rejoice, for you were born from the glorious city of Trebizond;
Rejoice, for you have been completely cultivated with all virtues.
Rejoice, for you appeared as a skilled merchant on the sea;
Rejoice, for you have well managed the commerce of your soul.
Rejoice, O John, great martyr of Christ.
Canon 1
Most chosen defender, vanquisher, and destroyer of iniquity, newly-martyred and righteous warrior of Christ, as the sun that has shone forth in the Eastern Church, and has fulfilled the joy of the faithful, we now offer to thee, from the depths of our soul, thankful and glorious hymns, singing with love:
Rejoice, O John, great martyr of Christ.
Prayer
Holy, glorious, and all-venerable great martyr of Christ, John, unhesitating intercessor of our salvation. We, thy servants, beseech thee, gathered today in thy divine temple, and bowing down before thy holy relics; be merciful unto us, as unto those who are near, and to those who, far off, invoke thy aid, and, in hymns of martyrdom, extol thy sufferings. Grant us, all, forgiveness and remission of sins, committed by us, unto this day and hour, from the Lord, our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Preserve us unharmed from all the snares of the wicked one, and keep our life safe from all spiritual and bodily evils, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.