The following Service of Small Vespers to Saint Isaac the Syrian, together with a Great Vespers and a Matins Service, were composed by the eminent hymnographer of Mount Athos, Monk Gerasimos Mikragiannanitis, who was commissioned to write them by St. Paisios the Athonite, out of his deep love and reverence for St. Isaac, having established September 28th as his feast day.
SMALL VESPERS
Four verses have been appointed, and the Stichera Prosomoia are chanted.
Tone 2. When suspended on the Cross.
When you received the immaterial fire, of the love of Christ in your heart Father, then you followed in your youth, O thrice-blessed Isaac, Christ the Savior, having denied a passionate attachment to the world; wherefore, God-bearing monastic, with earnest self-control, you cut off the offshoots of the passions.
When you were wounded in your soul with holy eros, in silence divinely-minded one, you proceeded to a place of solitude, and you were truly shown to be, a bodily angel, shining as a ray of the Spirit; wherefore, as an interpreter of the divine to monastics, and God-bearing teacher, in deeds and words were you anointed.
When you were consecrated by the Holy Spirit, as the Hierarch of Nineveh, Father Isaac, then the salvific law of grace, as a divinely-inspired shepherd, you bestowed on the faithful, and established it within them blessed one; wherefore, you showed yourself to be, the fulfillment and model, of excellent conduct, and the divine gospel.
Seen as a guide of monastics, and a mystagogue God-bearer, towards perfection, beautified with a most luminous life, you gushed forth divine teachings, and words of wisdom, leading us on the path of virtue; you therefore, by your conduct Father Isaac, have shown yourself to be a container of dispassion, and a fragrant meadow.
Glory Tone 4.
Distancing yourself from material relations, you separated yourself for ascetic struggles, with seething longing Isaac, and in your physical body, you strove to be an immaterial Angel, being found worthy of a vision of the invisible, and you exhort all, to have power over creation, with practical words; therefore for those who celebrate your memory, keep us unwounded from the designs of the evil one, entreating divine mercy for all.
Now and forever. Theotokion.
From all dangers keep your servants blessed Theotokos, that we may glorify you, the hope of our souls.
To the Verse. Tone 2. House of Ephratha.
Rejoice, light-bearing lamp of hesychasts, divinely-minded Isaac, and godlike luminary, to all monastics.
Vs. Honorable before the Lord, is the death of His Venerable ones.
From childhood, you were entirely dedicated to the Lord, being seen as a sanctified vessel, of the Paraclete, through silence Venerable one.
Vs. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord.
Grant that your prayers, be united with my mind, united Father, to your divine teachings, with the knowledge of salvation.
Glory. Triadikon.
You kindled within us O Isaac, treasuring with a beyond divine secret lumination of the Trinity, your divine teachings.
Now and forever. Theotokion.
Release from my soul, the spirit of acedia, and sluggishness O Lady, and all ignorance, and save me, all-pure one.
Now let your servant. Trisagion.
Apolytikion. Tone pl. 1. The co-beginningless Word.
Seen in the Spirit to be shining with the rays of virtue, by your conduct in Christ, multi-lighted luminary, God-bearing Isaac, you secure a straight path, on the road to salvation, by your divinely-inspired teachings, those who praise you Father, as a divine servant of Christ.
Glory... Now and forever...Theotokion.
Rejoice impassible gateway of the Lord, rejoice wall and covering of those who hasten to you, rejoice stormless harbor and Unwedded one, who gave birth in the flesh to your Creator and God, never cease to intercede, on behalf of those who hymn you, and worship your Child.
Dismissal.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
