The Akathist to St. Martyrs Adrian and Natalia is a prayer that helps us to address these two saints, who gave their lives for their faith. They were martyrs who steadfastly preserved their confession even in the most difficult conditions, and their example is a source of inspiration for all of us.
Condak 1
Revered servants of God and all-venerable martyrs of Christ, having despised the vanity of this world for the sake of love for Christ, the Son of God, and having laid down your life as an unblemished and pure sacrifice, preferring to accept sufferings and death rather than to forsake the True God, we extol you with love, holy Adrian and Natalia! You, standing in joy before the throne of the glory of the Lord and delighting in the sight of Him, pray for us sinners, who approach you with faith and reverence, that we may thanksgiving cry out to you:
Rejoice, holy Adrian and Natalia, all-venerable martyrs of Christ and unconquerable sufferers!
Icos 1
With angelic fervor, you constantly sent up fervent prayers to the Lord your Savior, Natalia, all-blessed one, that He may enlighten the heart of your husband, which had been darkened by the multitude of idols, and turn him to the knowledge of Him, the Creator and Lord of you, until the King of kings heard your tearful supplications and touched the heart of Adrian, and thus your husband came to believe in his soul, and with a steadfast heart endured the most bitter sufferings, and did not fear to accept death for Christ. Therefore, we, amazed by your love for Christ and zeal for God, joyfully cry out to you:
Rejoice, radiant lights, burning with divine love;
Rejoice, unshakeable pillars against the wickedness of idolaters;
Rejoice, having borne the Cross of Christ with patience and devotion;
Rejoice, having conquered the victories of the holy sign of the Cross and having despised the snares of the devil;
Rejoice, having received the crowns of incorruption and being crowned with glory by the Lord;
Rejoice, now standing before the throne of the Almighty and praying for us, sinners;
Rejoice, holy Adrian and Natalia, all-venerable martyrs of Christ and unconquerable sufferers!
Condak 2
Seeing the purity of your heart, holy Adrian, although it had been darkened by the multitude of idols, yet ready to receive the Truth, the Lord willed to call you to His wondrous light and to open to you the doors of His Kingdom, through the prayers of your holy spouse, with whom you also joyfully cried out to the Triune God, illuminating your soul, a hymn of praise:
Alleluia
Icos 2
The understanding of true theology suddenly seized your soul, Adrian, when, by the order of the emperor, you were inscribing the names of the holy martyrs, who were led to sufferings and death for the name of Christ, and when you asked the servants of the Lord, what reward they would receive from the Lord in His Kingdom for all their sufferings, they replied to you that it is impossible for a mortal tongue to express and a weak mind to comprehend what God has prepared for those who love Him. You, having abandoned all idolatrous wickedness, hastened with all your heart to Christ and boldly cried out: “I am a Christian!” We, honoring your conversion to the true Sun of Righteousness, pray to you to accept, together with your holy spouse, Natalia, from us, sinners, the highest praise:
Rejoice, holy servants of the True God;
Rejoice, zealous fulfillers of His will;
Rejoice, having despised the fleeting and sweet things of this world for the sake of love for Christ;
Rejoice, having offered your earthly love and conjugal happiness as a sacrifice to the One Who loves you;
Rejoice, teaching us not to cling to earthly goods, but to ascend in spirit to God;
Rejoice, enlightening our weakness and helping us to ascend the ladder of holiness;
Rejoice, holy Adrian and Natalia, all-venerable martyrs of Christ and unconquerable sufferers!
Condak 3
By the power of the Most High, you were strengthened, blessed one, and courageously approached the impending ordeal, yearning to die for your beloved Savior and God. Your holy wife, Natalia, assisted you with her prayers and exhortations, helping you to take up the cross sent by the Lord and to receive the crown of immortality prepared for you in heaven, and to boldly sing to God:
All you holy and blessed Trinity, have mercy on us.
Icos 3
Having been led out to the unjust judgment of Maximian, you were imprisoned in a dark dungeon, where you spent the entire night in prayers, hymns, and spiritual conversations with the other holy martyrs. Your loving wife, Natalia, disregarding feminine weakness and natural bodily love, in no way swayed by any passion, continually exhorted you not to falter in the faith of Christ, but to remain steadfast and unshakeable in your confession of the name of Jesus, and not to fear death. Therefore, we, as true soldiers of Christ, cry out to you in spiritual joy:
Rejoice, brave and faithful defenders of the faith!
Rejoice, unyielding and fearless reprovers of heresy!
Rejoice, having clothed yourselves in patience as a strong armor!
Rejoice, having taken up the cross of Christ as an invincible weapon!
Rejoice, having amazed the tormentors of the wicked by your extraordinary courage!
Rejoice, having glorified the name of God!
Rejoice, holy Adrian and Natalia, all-venerable martyr of Christ and unconquerable sufferer!
Condak 4
Chasing away the storm of cowardice and fear from your heart, glorious Adrian, and strengthening you for the impending martyrdom, your blessed wife, Natalia, did not cease to converse with you throughout the night about the wondrous and great reward prepared by God for those who have laid down their lives for Him, and thus spoke to you: “Blessed are you, my lord, for you have obtained the priceless treasure, the precious pearl of Christ, your Lord! Do not again turn back to the darkness of idolatry, but remain faithful to the One who loves you, crying out to Him with all your heart:
All you holy and blessed Trinity, have mercy on us.
Icos 4
When holy Natalia, sitting at home, heard that you were coming to her from the prison, and, amazed, thought that you had been afraid of the torment and had renounced Christ, she wept bitterly and, standing at the door, began to rebuke you, saying, “Why have you forsaken the faith of Christ?” You, however, rejoicing in spirit and strengthened by the sufferings, told her with tears, that you had not forsaken Christ, but rather desired to suffer for His holy name. Thus, being amazed by the height of Christian love, we cry out to you with compassion:
Rejoice, true exemplar of Christian marriage!
Rejoice, having truly shown heavenly love!
Rejoice, inspiring us to self-denial for Christ!
Rejoice, teaching us to despise all the fleeting things of this world!
Rejoice, urging us to leave the earthly and to ascend to the heavenly!
Rejoice, helping us to see the will of God in all things!
Rejoice, holy Adrian and Natalia, all-venerable martyr of Christ and unconquerable sufferer!
Condak 5
Manifesting wondrous mercy and love, O Natalie, thou didst hasten to the feet of the prisoners, who with thy husband were confined in prison for the name of Christ, and, kissing their sacred wounds, thou didst cleanse them of their pus, and didst bring them comfort and joy in every way, and, with heart-felt supplication, didst cry out to God the Heavenly Father an angelic hymn:
All-hail!
Icos 5
Beholding the cruel tormentor of the saints, who were imprisoned with thee, and had reached the point of exhaustion from their wounds, and were unable to endure the more severe torments, he commanded one of his attendants to bring thee before his tribunal, and, with every effort, he exhorted thee to renounce Christ, threatening thee with the torments that were in store for thee. However, being strengthened from above and comforted by thy blessed spouse, thou didst remain steadfast, like adamant, against the temptation of the enemy. Therefore, we, in love, praise thy suffering for Christ, and glorify thy holy spouse, and, with joy, we cry out to you:
Rejoice, victorious servants of the Most High God!
Rejoice, loud confessors of Christ’s faith!
Rejoice, bold denouncers of idolatrous allurements!
Rejoice, unyielding preachers of God’s glory!
Rejoice, Maximian’s wrath, which thou didst not fear!
Rejoice, thou who didst not yield to his fury in anything!
Rejoice, holy Adrian and Natalie, all-venerable martyrs of Christ, and unconquerable sufferers!
Condak 6
Thou didst appear as a preacher of great renown, O Adrian, when, standing before the emperor’s tribunal, thou didst boldly confess Christ to be the True God, who created heaven and earth, and didst denounce idolatrous allurements, and, for this confession and denunciation, thou didst receive the most severe beating, and didst cry out to thy fellow sufferer:
All-hail!
Icos 6
The light of heavenly glory didst illuminate thy face, O wise sufferer, when, even as thou wert being beaten in the womb, the blows didst flow out from thy womb, and thou didst not cease to praise Christ, and to confess His Holy Name before all the people. And thy blessed Natalie didst rejoice in spirit, beholding thy patience and courage, and didst supplicate for thee, that thy soul might not be weakened, and that thou mightst remain faithful to Christ until the end, and, with thee, we, sinful ones, sing thus:
Rejoice, sacred dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit!
Rejoice, glorious vessel of Christ’s grace!
Rejoice, soul enlightened by the divine light of God!
Rejoice, thou who hast been enlightened by Christ the King from above!
Rejoice, thou who hast been strengthened by the power of His Divinity!
Rejoice, thou who hast walked boldly on the path of suffering!
Rejoice, holy Adrian and Natalie, all-venerable martyrs of Christ, and unconquerable sufferers!
Condak 7
Although the wicked king once again summoned you to judgment, O glorious Adrian, he imprisoned you in the dungeon with the other holy martyrs, where Saint Natalia approached you and began to extol and strengthen your patience, saying: “Blessed are you, my lord, for you have been deemed worthy to partake in the lot of the holy martyrs of Christ!”
Allyluia
Icos 7
The wicked tormentor, concocting a new scheme, ordered his soldiers not to admit any women from the city into the dungeon, who had come to bring comfort and relief to the suffering servants of Christ. Then, it was forbidden for you, O holy Natalia, to see your husband or serve him; however, disregarding the imperial edict, you came to the dungeon in men’s attire and, just as before, you strengthened your holy husband to endure sufferings and death for Christ, the Lord. For this reason, we are worthy to extol you together with your holy husband and thus we cry out to you:
Radiate, O radiant ornament of Christ’s servants;
Radiate, O glorious splendor of the name of Jesus;
Radiate, O narrow path, which you have loved and indicated to us;
Radiate, for by this path you have reached the tranquil haven of Christ’s Kingdom;
Radiate, for you now abide in eternal glory and bliss;
Radiate, for by your prayers you preserve us from afflictions and calamities;
Radiate, O holy Adrian and Natalia, all-venerable martyrs of Christ and unconquered sufferers!
Condak 8
A strange and wondrous sight was seen in the dungeon, where you were imprisoned, O Adrian, with the other suffering servants of Christ, when the cruel tormentor ordered your legs to be crushed. Then, your holy wife herself lifted up your feet and placed them on the anvil, so that they might be preserved from the hands of the tormentors, and you would soon be reunited with your Lord, singing to Him without ceasing:
Allyluia
Icos 8
You, O martyr Adrian, endured in patience until your blessed end, when your pure soul was united with the Lord, for Whose name you suffered so much, even to the point of having your hands cut off. Therefore, venerating your martyrdom, we cry out to you and to your holy wife Natalia in faith:
Radiate, O souls that have endured both spiritual and bodily sufferings for Christ;
Radiate, O heavenly wings, that have soared in love for God;
Radiate, O eagles, that have soared to the Sun of Truth;
Radiate, O ones who have risen from the depths of lamentation to the Light of Eternity;
Radiate, O holy martyrs, who have been established in the assembly of saints;
Radiate, O ones who, together with all the saints, sing the wondrous hymn to God;
Radiate, O holy Adrian and Natalia, all-venerable martyrs of Christ and unconquered sufferers!
Condak 9
When the proud and inhuman tormentor was put to shame, the strong rain extinguished the fiery flame and did not allow the holy relics of the Christ’s martyrs to be consumed, and the city was also flooded with water, and the unrighteous people were terrified by thunder and lightning. You, blessed Natalia, in joy, sang to Christ, who is all-beneficent:
Alleluia
Icos 9
The vainglory of earthly praise does not reach the heights of your deeds, holy Christ’s martyrs Adrian and Natalia. Therefore, you did not concern yourselves with temporal glory and earthly greatness, but instead, you renounced all things and gave your soul for faith in Christ. You, having overcome the natural weakness of your feminine nature, acted with masculine courage, strengthening your husband in his martyrdom and rejoicing in his blessed repose. Your deeds are worthy of being extolled in wonder, and we, with love, cry out to you:
Radiant with a steadfast heart, you took up the Cross of Christ;
Radiant, you did not falter under its weight.
Radiant, you became imitators of Christ’s passions;
Radiant, you crucified your flesh with passions and desires.
Radiant, you showed yourselves to be images of love and gentleness;
Radiant, you taught us to bear one another’s burdens.
Radiant, holy Adrian and Natalia, all-victorious martyrs of Christ!
Condak 10
May the holy martyrs’ bodies be saved from desecration and shame. A certain devout man, accompanied by his wife, came to holy Natalia and the rest of the Christian brethren, asking them to grant him permission to take the holy relics with him to Byzantium and to place them there in a worthy manner until the time when the wicked Maximian dies. The Christians of Nicomedia granted the man’s request and, entrusting the precious treasure to him, joyfully cried out to God:
Alleluia
Icos 10
We are shielded by your holy prayers, holy Adrian and Natalia. For we are always helped by you in all our troubles and afflictions, especially when we celebrate and praise your memory with love, glorifying Christ our God. Therefore, we are preserved by your warm intercessions, and we truly extol you with these praises:
Radiant, you are our unceasing intercessors before God;
Radiant, you are our warm and loving helpers;
Radiant, you are our swift protectors and guides;
Radiant, you are our teachers, who instruct us in a godly life;
Radiant, you are our loving friends, who condescend to our weakness;
Radiant, you are our guides, who lead us to the heights of virginity and impassibility.
Radiant, holy Adrian and Natalia, all-victorious martyrs of Christ!
Condak 11
Thou didst bring hymns to God from the depths of thy heart, O blessed Natalie, when thou wert delivered from the hand of the judge who sought to take thee as his wife. For thou, as a faithful wife of the martyr Christ, didst not desire to take another husband, but didst flee with prayer, sitting on a ship, to Byzantium, where the body of thy holy husband was laid. Having arrived at this city, thou didst invoke the Lord God with love:
All you holy and blessed Apostles, do not cease to intercede for us sinners.
Icos 11
A radiant light appeared on the ship on which thou didst cross the stormy sea, bearing with thee the precious pearl, the hand of thy holy husband, whom thou didst escape unharmed, having fled from the persecution of the judge, and didst arrive in Byzantium, and with a joyful soul, thou didst kiss the body of thy blessed lord, and didst commit thy soul to the Lord’s hand in spiritual sorrow. Therefore, we magnify thy departure to the Lord together with the holy Adrian, and we sing:
Rejoice, blessed spouses, who lived in love on earth and were not separated after death;
Rejoice, friends of the Lord, who dwell at His throne;
Rejoice, who enjoy the all-glorious vision of Him;
Rejoice, who partake of eternal blessedness in its entirety;
Rejoice, who have found rest in the dwellings of the righteous;
Rejoice, who have left your holy bodies on earth as a healing for us;
Rejoice, holy Adrian and Natalie, martyrs of Christ, all-glorious and unconquered sufferers!
Condak 12
Thy vessels, filled with grace, have been shown to be holy, given to us by Christ God, to whom the holy martyrs of Christ hasten with zeal, and from them, we receive forgiveness of sins through thy prayers, and with all our heart, we cry out to God:
All you holy and blessed Apostles, do not cease to intercede for us sinners.
Icos 12
Singing thy holy sufferings and blessed end, by which thou didst ascend to the heavens, we praise you, O all-glorious martyrs of Christ, Adrian and Natalie, and we pray with zeal, that you may be remembered unceasingly at the throne of Glory, and we bless you thus:
Rejoice, glorious and noble warriors of Christ;
Rejoice, unconquered sufferers and glorious conquerors;
Rejoice, excellent champions of true faith;
Rejoice, unquenchable lamps of virtues;
Rejoice, who are inflamed with divine love;
Rejoice, who are crowned with heavenly blessings from Christ;
Rejoice, holy Adrian and Natalie, martyrs of Christ, all-glorious and unconquered sufferers!
Condak 13
Oh, holy martyr of Christ, Adrian and Natalie! Hear us, fervently praying to you and approaching your temple, and pray to the merciful Lord our God to grant us peace and the health of our souls and bodies, and to save our souls, that we may sing to Him: Alleluia.
(This condak is read three times, then ikos 1 and condak 1)
Prayer to the holy martyrs Adrian and Natalie
Oh, sacred duo, holy martyr of Christ, Adrian and Natalie, blessed spouses and good sufferers! Hear us, praying to you with tears, and grant us all that is beneficial for our souls and bodies, and pray to Christ God, that He may enlighten our inner eyes to the vision of salvation and, by His mercy, may create with us, that we may not perish in our sins! Hear, holy martyrs, our prayer and deliver us from famine, destruction, fear, flood, fire, sword, and civil strife, from vain death and from all afflictions, sorrows, and diseases, preserve the unity of spouses, may the young emulate your zeal for God, bring back those who have strayed from the faith, that we may be strengthened by your prayers and intercession, preserve our unblemished faith, and, rising from the depths of sinful darkness, may we glorify the Lord Jesus, hoping to be granted heavenly blessed life by your God-pleasing prayers, and, without shame, may we stand at the judgment day on the right hand of Christ God, to Whom all glory, honor, and worship are due, with His Father, Who is without beginning, and the Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.
Amen.