Akathist Hymn to Saint John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco
Akathist Hymn to the Holy Hierarch John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco
Kontak 1 (Tone 8)
O chosen wonder-worker and superb servant of Christ, who poured out in the latter times inexhaustible streams of inspiration and multitude of miracles, we praise you with love, and we call out to you :
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Ikos 1
An angel in the flesh were you manifested in the latter times by the Grace of God who ever cares for men. Seeing the beauty of your virtues, we your children now cry out to you :
Rejoice, you that lived in virtue from earliest childhood.
Rejoice, you that always lived in fear of God and did His holy will.
Rejoice, you that manifested the Grace of God in numberless virtues.
Rejoice, you that mystically heard the distant prayers of those in distress.
Rejoice, you that were filled with love for your fellow men and did all possible for their salvation.
Rejoice, you that bring joy to all who pray to you in faith and love.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 2
Seeing the abundance and variety of your virtues, O Holy Hierarch, we see in you a living source of God’s wonders in our time, you refresh with your love and miracles all who cry out in faith to God :
Alleluia.
Ikos 2
Being filled with love you were also filled with theology, O holy Father ; and in you the knowledge of God flowed forth again in love for suffering men. Teach us also to know the true God in love as we call out to you in admiration :
Rejoice, firm stronghold of Orthodox truth.
Rejoice, precious vessel of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, righteous accuser of impiety and false doctrine.
Rejoice, ardent doer of the commandments of God.
Rejoice, severe ascetic who gave yourself no repose.
Rejoice, loving shepherd of the flock of Christ.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 3
By God’s mercy you were manifest as a father to orphans and instructor of the young, raising them in the fear of God and preparing them for the service of God. Therefore, all your children look to you with love, and cry out with gratitude to God :
Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Dwellers in Heaven should be praising you and not we on earth, for our words are feeble beside your deeds. Yet, offering to God what we have, we cry out to you thus :
Rejoice, you that protected your children by your constant prayer.
Rejoice, you that ever guarded your flock by the sign of the Cross.
Rejoice, you for whom love knew no bounds of country or race.
Rejoice, bright luminary beloved by all.
Rejoice, model of spiritual meekness.
Rejoice, giver of spiritual consolation to those in need.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 4
Bewildered by your deeds of piety and love, we know not how to praise you worthily, O Hierarch John. You travelled to the ends of the earth to save your people and to preach the Gospel to those in darkness. Thanking God for your apostolic labours, we cry out to Him :
Alleluia.
Ikos 4
The people of many lands beheld your life and marvelled at God’s mercies even in these latter times. Thus, we also, marvelling, cry out in awe :
Rejoice, enlightener of those in the darkness of unbelief.
Rejoice, you that followed your people to the farthest East and West.
Rejoice, fountain of miracles poured out by God.
Rejoice, loving chastiser of those who have gone astray.
Rejoice, speedy comfort to those who repent of their sins.
Rejoice, support of those who go on the right path.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 5
You were manifest as a vehicle of God’s power to stop the destructive forces of fallen nature, O holy Hierarch, preserving your people on the island from the deadly wind and storm by your prayer and the sign of the Cross. Therefore, preserve us also who cry out in wonder unto God :
Alleluia.
Ikos 5
All who have trusted in your help in desperate circumstances and adversities have found deliverance, O bold intercessor before the Throne of God. Therefore, we too, place our hope in you to protect us in dangers by your prayers before God as we call out to you :
Rejoice, you that stopped the powers of nature from doing harm to your flock.
Rejoice, you that provide by your prayer for all in need.
Rejoice, inexhaustible bread for the hungry.
Rejoice, abundant wealth for those who live in poverty.
Rejoice, consolation for those in sorrow.
Rejoice, quick uplifting for those who have fallen.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 6
You were manifest as a new Moses, leading his flock out of slavery, O Hierarch John. Deliver us also from slavery to sins and from the enemies of God as we cry out to God :
Alleluia.
Ikos 6
You did the impossible and persuaded the authorities of this world to have pity on your flock, O good shepherd. Pray for us now that we may live in peace and quiet, saving our souls as we gratefully cry out to you :
Rejoice, helper of all who call upon you in faith.
Rejoice, you that deliver from death and disaster.
Rejoice, you that preserve from lies and slander.
Rejoice, preserver of the innocent from bonds.
Rejoice, you that foil the attacks of the unrighteous.
Rejoice, destroyer of lies and exalter of truth.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 7
O lover of the saints of East and West, you restored to the Orthodox Church the saints of the West, of lands which had fallen away from the truth. Now with these saints you pray for us to God as we on earth cry out to Him :
Alleluia.
Ikos 7
O fervent venerator of the holy Hierarchs of Gaul, you were manifest in the latter times as one of them, exhorting your flock to preserve the same Orthodox Faith that they confessed, and astonishing the peoples of the West by your holy life. Now preserve us in that same Faith as we cry out to you :
Rejoice, new Martin by your miracles and ascetic feats.
Rejoice, new Germanus by your confession of the Orthodox Faith.
Rejoice, new Hilary by your divine theology.
Rejoice, new Gregory by your love for God’s saints.
Rejoice, new Faustus by your gentle love and monastic fervour.
Rejoice, new Cæesarius by your firm yet loving rule of the Church of God.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 8
At the end of your life, O holy hierarch, you were called to the New World, to offer there your witness of ancient Christianity and to suffer persecution for your righteousness, thus perfecting your soul for Heaven. Now marvelling at your patience and long-suffering, we all cry out to God :
Alleluia.
Ikos 8
O labourer of Christ’s vineyard who knew no rest even at the end of your much-toiling life, help us now as we strive to be faithful to Christ, crying out in praise to you :
Rejoice, you that endured to the end and so attained salvation.
Rejoice, you that were deemed worthy to die before the icon of the Mother of God.
Rejoice, you that kept your faith and courage in the midst of unjust persecution.
Rejoice, you that laboured to the end for your flock and met death sitting as a hierarch.
Rejoice, you that returned through the air to be buried amidst the flock.
Rejoice you that work wonders for those who come to your sepulchre with faith and love.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 9
All angel-kind rejoiced at your soul’s ascent to their celestial home marvelling at the wonders you performed on earth through the action of the Holy Spirit, to whom we sing :
Alleluia.
Ikos 9
Orators find it impossible to describe your life of sanctity with their many and eloquent words, O righteous John ; for you became a living house for the power of the ineffable God. Yet, unable to fall silent at the wonder shown to our age of feeble faith, we glorify you :
Rejoice, divine palace whence the counsel of the Good King is given.
Rejoice, small and humble abode containing the spacious beauty of angels mansions.
Rejoice, you that gained a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Rejoice, infirmary wherein all manner of diseases are divinely healed.
Rejoice, closet wherein your holy labour of prayer was hidden.
Rejoice, blessed temple of the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 10
Wishing to save the world, the Saviour of all has sent a new saint amongst us ; and through him, He has called us out of the dark recesses of sin. Hearing this call to repentance, we unworthy ones in turn cry out to God :
Alleluia.
Ikos 10
You are a wall sheltering us from adversity, O Hierarch John, for through your heavenly intercessions we are delivered from the attacks of demonic passions and from afflictions which beset us on earth. Before your firm support of prayer, we cry out with faith :
Rejoice, sight to the blinded.
Rejoice, strength and life to those on the bed of death.
Rejoice, God-revealed advice to those in doubt and confusion.
Rejoice, refreshing water to those perishing in the heat of sorrow.
Rejoice, loving father to the lonely and abandoned.
Rejoice, holy teacher of those who seek the Truth.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 11
Your life was a hymn to the Most Holy Trinity, surpassing others in thought, word and deed, O most blessed John ; for with much wisdom you explained the precepts of the true Faith, and you taught us to sing with faith, hope and love to the one God in Trinity :
Alleluia.
Ikos 11
We see you as a radiant lamp of Orthodoxy amidst the darkness of ignorance, O God-chosen pastor of Christ’s flock, our Father John ; for even after your repose you speak the truth to the ignorant and give instruction to those who seek guidance, and to all who cry out to you :
Rejoice, radiance of divine wisdom to those in ignorance.
Rejoice, rainbow of quiet joys for the meek.
Rejoice, thunder to stubborn sinners.
Rejoice, lightning of the zeal of God.
Rejoice, rain of God’s dogmas.
Rejoice, shower of theological thoughts.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 12
Grace has been poured out in the last days upon us all. Beholding this Grace come forth from a holy hierarch who once did walk amongst us, let us receive it with reverence and thanksgiving, crying out to God :
Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing in praise to God, the heavenly choir of saints rejoice that He has not forsaken the fallen and unbelieving world, but has manifested His almighty power in you, His meek and humble servant. O blessed John, with all the saints we greet you and give honour to you :
Rejoice, new star of righteousness shining in the firmament of Heaven.
Rejoice, new prophet who was sent before the final unleashing of evil.
Rejoice, new Jonah warning all of the wages of sin.
Rejoice, new Baptist drawing all to a life of prayer and repentance.
Rejoice, new Paul suffering to preach the gospel in the spirit of truth.
Rejoice, new apostle whose miracles instil in us faith and awe.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 13
O holy and most wondrous Hierarch John, consolation for all the sorrowing, accept now our prayerful offering that through your prayers to our Lord we may be spared Gehenna and by your God-pleasing intercession we may cry out eternally :
Alleluia. (Sing the kontak three times)
Ikos 1 and Kontak 1 are read again :
Ikos 1
An angel in the flesh you were manifested in the latter times by the Grace of God who ever cares for men. Seeing the beauty of your virtues, we your children now cry out to you :
Rejoice, you that lived in virtue from earliest childhood.
Rejoice, you that ever live in fear of God and do His holy will.
Rejoice, you that manifested the Grace of God in numberless virtues.
Rejoice, you that mystically heard the distant prayers of those in distress.
Rejoice, you that were filled with love for your fellow men and did all possible for their salvation.
Rejoice, you that bring joy to all who pray to you in faith and love.
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Kontak 1
O chosen wonder-worker and superb servant of Christ, who poured out in the latter times inexhaustible streams of inspiration and a multitude of miracles. We praise you with love, and we call out to you :
Rejoice, O Holy Hierarch John, Wonder-worker of the latter times.
Prayer to the Holy Hierarch John Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco
O wondrous hierarch John, we honour you. You stretched your heart to encompass within it a multitude of people from amongst diverse nations and peoples. Look upon the humility of our words, which we offer out of love for you. Help us, O holy one of God, to cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, so that we may labour for the Lord with fear, and rejoice in Him with trembling.
What shall we offer to you for that joy which we have felt, beholding your Holy Relics in the holy Temple and glorifying your memory ? Truly, we have nothing to offer you, except that we begin to correct our lives, and become the New Man instead of the Old Man.
Be an intercessor for us of this Grace of renewal, O holy John. Help us in our weaknesses ; heal our sicknesses ; cure our passions by thy prayers. You departed this temporal life unto life eternal, to which the All-pure Lady, the Directress of the Russian diaspora, guided you by her wonder-working Kursk-Root Icon, whose companion you were on the day of your repose.
You now rejoice in the choir of the saints who glorify the one God, who is worshipped in Trinity : the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.