The Akathist to St. Theodosius of Chernigov is a prayer that helps devotees focus on the life, feats, and teachings of this saint. Reading this akathist is particularly relevant during the preparation for the liturgy or during personal prayer.
Condak 1
Thou hast been chosen, O wondrous healer, great intercessor of Christ, blessed Theodosius, father, in that thy relics are incorrupt and thy wonders are multiplied by God, we extol thee in hymns of joy, our intercessor. Thou, having boldness before the Lord, dost deliver us from all afflictions, that we may call upon thee:
Rejoice, O Godly intercessor, blessed Theodosius, wondrous healer.
Icos 1
Thou didst appear as an angel in the flesh, O wise Theodosius, adorning thyself with angelic virtues; and for this reason, thou wast appointed by God as an angel to the Church of Chernigov, guiding all to salvation and manifesting in thyself the rule of faith and the example of gentleness, self-control, and love. Therefore, thy children, who are in thee, cry out to thee with love:
Rejoice, O earthly angel and heavenly man;
Rejoice, O fellow-servant and companion of the heavenly powers.
Rejoice, O one who in thy life didst rival the bodiless ones;
Rejoice, O one who, after death, didst dwell with them.
Rejoice, O one who from thy youth didst love Christ with all thy heart;
Rejoice, O one who, from the beginning of thy life, didst serve Him alone.
Rejoice, O one who didst keep all the commandments of the Lord blamelessly and without blemish;
Rejoice, O one who didst bring forth many spiritual fruits through Christ.
Rejoice, O one whose spirit was stirred up by fervent prayer;
Rejoice, O one who dost cover those who honor thy memory with love, from afflictions.
Rejoice, O Godly intercessor, blessed Theodosius, wondrous healer.
Condak 2
Seeing the transience of this world, O father Theodosius, thou didst desire with all thy heart to leave this world behind and to serve God in monasticism. And for this reason, thou didst receive the yoke of Christ with zeal and eagerness, and thou didst become a humble and obedient monk in the holy Lavra of Kiev-Pechersk, singing the angelic hymn to the All-Creator:
Alleluia
Icos 2
Thy wise and God-inspired mind, O holy Theodosius, was seen by the bishop of Kiev, Dionysius, who appointed thee as archdeacon of the cathedral church of the Wisdom of God, Sophia, that thou mightest serve at the altar of the Lord during the celebration of the Divine Mysteries. We, who are chosen vessels of the Holy Spirit, with reverence cry out to thee:
Rejoice, O thou who didst lay the foundation of thy struggles under the shelter of the wondrous healers of Pechersk;
Rejoice, O one who didst adorn thyself with the virtues of monastic life from thy youth.
Rejoice, O radiant beauty of the monks;
Rejoice, O praise of the ascetics.
Rejoice, O beloved fellow-servant of the holy hierarchs;
Rejoice, O zealous guardian of obedience.
Rejoice, O humble ascetic, who didst place all thy hope in the Lord;
Rejoice, O good zealot of the solitary life.
Rejoice, O blessed elect of Christ;
Rejoice, O unshakeable intercessor given to us by God.
Rejoice, O Godly intercessor, blessed Theodosius, wondrous healer.
Condak 3
By the power of God, O Father Theodosius, thou wert consecrated as a priest by Saint Dionysius and appointed as the igumen of the Korosunskaya Monastery, to shepherd Christ’s flock and guide the monks to salvation, singing in unison with them a hymn of praise to the God glorified in the Trinity:
Alleluia
Icos 3
With genuine humility, thou didst call thyself dust and ashes, O blessed Theodosius, and, uncomplaining, didst endure the prohibition of the archbishop; and thus, we, in truth, hymn thy Christ-like meekness:
Rejoice, O lamb of meekness, who dost not repay evil for evil;
Rejoice, for thou didst show great obedience to the prohibition of the archbishop.
Rejoice, for thou didst not dare to touch the epitrachilion;
Rejoice, for thou didst conquer the enemy by humility and self-denial.
Rejoice, O lover of God, adorned with venerability and gentleness;
Rejoice, for thou didst crown thyself with the bloodless martyrdom of asceticism.
Rejoice, O wise and gentle father to the monks;
Rejoice, for thou didst guide many monasteries with experience.
Rejoice, faithful and reverent servant of the Lord’s throne;
Rejoice, for thou art a warm intercessor before God for us.
Rejoice, O servant of God, holy Father Theodosius, wondrous wonderworker.
Condak 4
When the Latin heresy raised a storm of persecution against the Church of God in Kiev, thou, O wise Theodosius, didst defend the monastery of Vydubets, establishing the brethren in the unblemished faith of Orthodoxy, and hymning God:
Alleluia
Icos 4
Having heard of thy holy life, O Father Theodosius, Saint Lazarus, the bishop of God, called thee from Kiev to Chernigov and, appointing thee as the archimandrite of the revered monastery of Elets, made thee his helper in the governance of the Church; and thou didst serve him with filial love, and thus didst become worthy to be hymned thus:
Rejoice, O holy father, who didst serve with love;
Rejoice, for thou didst obey thy father in all things.
Rejoice, for thou didst bring peace to his old age;
Rejoice, for thou didst alleviate the labors of his episcopal office.
Rejoice, diligent guardian of the beauty of the Church;
Rejoice, for thou didst faithfully preserve the traditions of the apostles.
Rejoice, zealous defender of truth;
Rejoice, for thou didst unshakeably fulfill the duty of a pastor.
Rejoice, unblemished servant of the Lord’s altar;
Rejoice, for thou art a shining example of a pastor.
Rejoice, O servant of God, holy Father Theodosius, wondrous wonderworker.
Condak 5
Star of God, guiding us to the heavenly Jerusalem and shining brightly with virtues, we behold you, Theodosius, and with love, we follow in your footsteps, attentive to your soul-saving teaching and gazing upon the image of your pure life, we learn to pray to God, wondrous in His saints:
Alleluia
Icos 5
Beholding the venerable Lazarus worn out by old age and weakened in bodily strength, he desired to have you, Theodosius, as his successor in the episcopacy and to ask the Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow to ordain you as an archbishop. We, however, understanding this divine appointment upon you, rejoice in loving praise:
Rejoice, archpriest of God, divinely chosen by the Eternal High Priest;
Rejoice, worthy successor of the Apostles and diligent zealot.
Rejoice, Christ’s holy hierarch, consecrated by the council of Russian hierarchs;
Rejoice, good hierarch and lover of poverty.
Rejoice, merciful archpastor and compassionate;
Rejoice, fellow hierarch with Mitrophane and Dimitry.
Rejoice, ornament of Orthodox hierarchs;
Rejoice, good pastor, ready to lay down your soul for your flock.
Rejoice, golden-mouthed teacher;
Rejoice, radiant light of the Church of Christ, shining in the darkness of this age.
Rejoice, holy servant of God, Theodosius, wondrous miracle-worker.
Condak 6
You appeared as a preacher not only by word but also by deed, holy Theodosius, as a good shepherd, guiding all to salvation according to the example of the Chief Shepherd Christ, and giving to all the example of your life according to Christ’s commandments, and teaching all to pray constantly to God:
Alleluia
Icos 6
You shone forth, holy Theodosius, as a triple radiant light, in the land of Chernigov, and illuminated the flock entrusted to you with the light of your virtues, acquiring humility and maintaining the ascetic poverty; for all that you had, you zealously distributed to the needy. Marveling at this, we praise you as a perfect lover of the poor, calling out:
Rejoice, fountain of unexhausted mercy;
Rejoice, secure refuge for the poor.
Rejoice, compassionate protector of widows;
Rejoice, inexhaustible provider for the hungry.
Rejoice, swift defender of the oppressed;
Rejoice, trustworthy comforter of the sorrowful.
Rejoice, ready helper in troubles;
Rejoice, good educator of children.
Rejoice, instructor in chastity for youth and maidens;
Rejoice, firm support for the elderly and the weak.
Rejoice, holy servant of God, Theodosius, wondrous miracle-worker.
Кондак 7
Although with all your heart you have endeavored to please the one Lord, Theodosius, you have persevered in good deeds to the end, applying labor to labor in humility, mortifying your flesh through fasting and vigil with prayer, and warming all with love. For this reason, you were also deemed worthy to sing the angelic hymn to God in a manner befitting and righteous on earth:
Alleluia
Икос 7
The Lord has revealed to the Russian people a new supplicant and wondrous worker of miracles, Father Theodosius, the saint; therefore, the Orthodox Church shines brightly with you, for you have great boldness towards Christ, to Whom you pray, O saint, on behalf of us sinners, who cry out to you with love:
Rejoice, radiant lamp of Orthodox faith;
Rejoice, vigilant guardian of Orthodoxy.
Rejoice, zealous champion of piety;
Rejoice, unshakeable pillar of the Church of God.
Rejoice, ornamented with the virtues of the Church;
Rejoice, most excellent advocate of steadfastness and purity.
Rejoice, inexhaustible treasure of prayers;
Rejoice, faithful builder of the mysteries of God.
Rejoice, guardian of your flock in faith and piety;
Rejoice, one who has been deemed worthy to be numbered among the saints in the Heavenly Kingdom.
Rejoice, holy servant of God, Theodosius, wondrous worker of miracles.
Кондак 8
Having completed your earthly journey in a manner pleasing to God, O Father Theodosius, you fell asleep in the Lord with a holy and righteous sleep, which was a passage from labors to eternal rest; you received from Christ God the crown of glory that is imperishable, and you have taken up residence with the saints, singing to Him an eternal hymn of praise:
Alleluia
Икос 8
You are a boundless fountain of love, O holy Theodosius; just as in this life, so also after your departure to God, you do not leave your children without care; you look upon all who come to you in faith with kindness, granting healing to the afflicted, consolation to the sorrowful, and deliverance from troubles to those in need. For this reason, we give thanks and sing to you:
Rejoice, one who has loved spiritual poverty from youth;
Rejoice, one who has served Christ faithfully in the lesser brethren.
Rejoice, one who opens the doors of God’s mercy to us;
Rejoice, one who turns the righteous anger of God into mercy.
Rejoice, one who remains with us after your departure to God;
Rejoice, one who revives the souls that have been slain by sin through the grace of Christ.
Rejoice, fountain of compassion that flows ceaselessly;
Rejoice, blessed enlightener of those who are shrouded in error.
Rejoice, one who looks down from the heights of heaven upon our sorrows;
Rejoice, one who envelops us all with your love.
Rejoice, holy servant of God, Theodosius, wondrous worker of miracles.
Condak 9
Let all the people of Chernigov rejoice and glorify God, for when they heard of your glorious appearance, O holy Theodosius, and of your successor, Archbishop John, who was healed from a severe illness by your boldness before the Lord, they were filled with joy. Therefore, they hastened to adorn your tomb and place an image of your face upon it, crying out to the wondrous God in His saints:
All glory be to God
Icos 9
Many miracles and wonders cannot adequately praise you, O holy Theodosius, for you are worthy of eternal glory. Who can recount the many and glorious miracles that you have wrought through your uncorrupted relics and holy icons? Therefore, the Lord and His saints rejoice and glorify you, crying out to you thus:
Rejoice, O one dwelling in the radiant heavens;
Rejoice, O one who, through your uncorrupted relics, shows us the dawn of the universal resurrection.
Rejoice, O one appearing in visions to those who believe in good things;
Rejoice, O one who, in sleep, summons us to prayer through your intercession.
Rejoice, O one who, with love, comforts those who weep and sigh;
Rejoice, O one who quickly fulfills the requests of those who toil and are burdened.
Rejoice, O one who delivers the faithful from sudden death;
Rejoice, O one who urges those who have vowed to God to fulfill their obligations.
Rejoice, O one who gives sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf;
Rejoice, O loving father, who, like a hen gathering her chicks under her wings, gathers your spiritual children around your tomb.
Rejoice, O wondrous worker of miracles, holy Theodosius.
Condak 10
You have inherited eternal salvation, O holy Theodosius, and now you rejoice with the angels and all the saints, beholding the radiant face of Christ our God. Do not cease to pray for us sinners, that, through your intercession, we may be able to hymn Him together with you:
All glory be to God
Icos 10
You have appeared as a bulwark of the Orthodox Church, O holy Theodosius, confirming the faithful through your many wondrous miracles and revealing the power of God. You have amazed the leaders of the schism through your uncorrupted relics and have stirred them to confess the truth of Orthodoxy. Therefore, with fear and reverence, the faithful cry out to you thus:
Rejoice, O one who, through your relics, has filled us all with joy;
Rejoice, O one who, through your uncorrupted body, has converted the old believers to the faith.
Rejoice, O one who has humiliated the heresy of the schism through your glorious miracles;
Rejoice, O one who has taught the Orthodox cross to the women who were deceived by the heresy.
Rejoice, O one who, through your relics, has given sight to a blind child;
Rejoice, O one who, through the anointing oil from your lamp, has healed the mute and has loosed the tongue.
Rejoice, O one who heals the incurable through the same oil;
Rejoice, O one who brings back to life those who are near death.
Rejoice, O one who heals those who are deprived of reason through the grace of Christ;
Rejoice, O one who, through your relics, performs miracles.
Rejoice, O wondrous worker of miracles, holy Theodosius.
Kontakion 11
Prayful song did not cease before thy relics, O Saint Theodosius, from the day of thy burial even unto the day of thy glorification with the saints, when the assembly of the saints of the Russian Church with glory brought forth thy relics from the cave and placed them honorably in the cathedral church of the city of Chernigov for common veneration. Receive then, also our humble song of praise, and help us to be purified through repentance, that, prospering in the fulfillment of the commandments of Christ and being guided by thee, we may with thee cry out gratefully to God:
Alleluia
Ikos 11
Having been a gracious lamp in thy life, O Saint Theodosius, shining with the quiet light of humility and love upon the candlestick of the Church of Christ, and after thy departure thou didst shine like the sun, dispelling the darkness of schism and heres by surpassing miracles, and turning the hearts of the faithful unto God. Therefore, celebrating thy holy memory with love, we cry unto thee:
Rejoice, radiant star, having shined over the land of Chernigov;
rejoice, and having illumined the entire Russian land with thy light.
Rejoice, glory and protection of the city of Chernigov;
rejoice, sleepless and warm intercessory of our whole land.
Rejoice, before the Throne of the King of kings thou standest interceding for our king;
rejoice, for thy name is glorified throughout our whole land from end to end.
Rejoice, for by thy manifestations thou turnest the unbelievers into the Orthodox faith;
rejoice, for by thy miracles thou directest the foreigners unto Orthodoxy.
Rejoice, for with the heavenly powers thou ever dost sing praise to God;
rejoice, for in the heavens thou ceaselessly beholdest His glory.
Rejoice, O servant of God, O Saint Theodosius, glorious wondrous-worker.
Kontakion 12
Thou wertest a chosen vessel of God’s grace, O Saint Theodosius; ask the Lord for the grace of God and in help for our weakness, that, being saved by this grace, we may always overcome the passions, and being strengthened by it, we always glorify with thee the Giver of all good, the Lord Jesus, cing out unto Him:
Alleluia
Ikos 12
Singing thy many and glorious miracles and glorifying thy great feats, O our father Saint Theodosius, with compunction of heart we praise, hīn, and magnify the Lord who exalted thee, having revealed in thee a new sign of His goodwill toward the most Orthodox Church, as an eternal pillar and affirmation of truth; unto thee, however, as our warm intercessor before God, we proclaim these things:
Rejoice, in the garden of the Lord thou didst labor well from morning until evening of thy life;
rejoice, having entered into the joy of thy Lord as a good and faithful servant.
Rejoice, by thy life thou didst show us the path to the heavenly abodes;
rejoice, crowned with the crown of immortality and heavenly glory.
Rejoice, resplendent star of the churchal-heavens;
rejoice, wondrous praise of the Russian land.
Rejoice, for thou thou dwellest with all the saints in the heights above;
rejoice, for even us sinners on earth thou dostst visit with love.
Rejoice, by whom Christ was glorified;
rejoice, by whom Satan was put to shame.
Rejoice, O servant of God, O Saint Theodosius, glorious wondrous-worker.
Condak 13
Oh, great and wondrous servant of God and miracle-worker, holy father Theodosius! Accept this humble prayer of ours, offered in your praise, though unworthy, yet presented with filial love, and intercede with the Lord God to deliver us from all afflictions, troubles, and calamities, from civil strife and sudden death, and from eternal torments in the future life, and grant us to rejoice with you in eternal life, singing to Him:
Alleluia
This condak is read three times, followed by ikos 1 and condak 1.
Icos 1
You appeared as an angel in the flesh, wise Theodosius, adorning yourself with angelic virtues; therefore, you were appointed by God as an angel of the Church of Chernigov, guiding all to salvation and revealing in yourself the rule of faith and the model of gentleness, self-control, and love. For this reason, your children, we cry out to you with love:
Rejoice, earthly angel and heavenly man;
Rejoice, fellow citizen and companion of the heavenly hosts.
Rejoice, in your life, you contended with the fleshless;
Rejoice, and after death, you dwelt with them.
Rejoice, you who loved Christ with all your heart from youth;
Rejoice, you who have served Him alone from the dawn of your life.
Rejoice, you who have kept all the Lord’s commandments unblemished and unbroken;
Rejoice, you who have produced many spiritual fruits through Christ.
Rejoice, your spirit was stirred up by fervent prayer;
Rejoice, you who cover those who honor your memory with love from afflictions.
Rejoice, wondrous servant of God, holy father Theodosius, miracle-worker, glorious one.
Condak 1
Chosen miracle-worker, great and wondrous servant of Christ, holy father Theodosius, renowned through the incorruptness of your relics and the multitude of miracles from God, we praise you in joyful hymns, our protector. You, having boldness before the Lord, free us from all our afflictions, that we may call out to you:
Rejoice, wondrous servant of God, holy father Theodosius, miracle-worker, glorious one.
Molitva
Oh, holy father, our strong intercessor and protector, Theodosius, hear us, who call out to you with faith and fervently approach the table of your holy and most beneficial relics (or icon). Remember us before the Throne of the Almighty and cease not to pray for us. We know that our sins separate us from you and from the Lord, and we are unworthy of such a father and intercessor. But you, having imitated the humanity of God, do not cease to cry out to the Lord on our behalf, and by your intercession, ask the All-Merciful God to grant peace to His Church, which is warring on earth, that its pastors may zealously strive for the salvation of people. Ask the Heavenly Father to grant us the gift, which is beneficial to each of us, true faith, firm hope, and unceasing love, the establishment of our cities, the destruction of war, deliverance from famine and harm, preservation from the invasion of foreigners, the growth of the young and the young in faith, comfort and support for the old and the weak, healing for the sick, mercy and protection for orphans and widows, correction for the erring, and timely help for those in need. Do not put us to shame in our hope, assist us, as a loving father, and help us to bear the yoke of Christ in humility and patience, and to bring all to a peaceful and repentant end, that we may inherit the Kingdom of God, where you now dwell with the angels and all the saints, glorifying God, who is glorified in the Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.