The Holy Martyr James of Persia; Our Venerable Father Palladius.

When

November 27, 2025

All Day

Nativity Fast.

VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 2 [optional Podoben “When from the Tree…”]

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

Having forsaken the beauties of the world,* the splendour of your birthright, wealth, and beauty,* and cast aside all sensuality,* and having broken your body through the wounding of the passions,* rejoicing you followed after Christ, O James;* for through your suffering you have now truly become a partaker of glory* and a fellow heir of the kingdom.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

When the members of your flesh were cut off,* enduring unbearable pain and wounds, O right glorious James, martyr of Christ,* and having manfully trampled the savagery of the tormenters underfoot,* you received a priceless crown of victory;* and now adorned, O blessed one,* you stand with those who suffered with you,* before the throne of your Master.

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

Possessed of boldness before Christ, O ever-memorable martyr,* you fervently intercede for all who celebrate your honoured festival with faith,* delivering them from misfortunes and freeing them from the passions,* rescuing them from besetting evils* and granting their souls salvation by your divine supplications,* that we may glorify your splendid struggles.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

Tone 5, Glory…

You astonished all in your bearing of tortures, O James;* for you endured the amputation of your fingers, hands and arms,* and likewise your feet and legs until you were left with your trunk alone;* and then, as you prayed, your precious head was severed.* O much-suffering martyr, never cease to pray to Christ in our behalf* that our souls may find mercy.

Now…

O strange, awesome and great mystery!* The Uncircumscribable One has made His abode within a womb,* and a Mother remains a Virgin even after birthgiving,* for from her she gave birth to God Incarnate.* To Him, then, let us cry aloud, to Him let us raise a hymn, chanting with the angels:* Holy are You, O Christ God, who was incarnate for our sake!* Glory be to You!

Prokeimenon, Tone 5

O Lord, save me by Your name,* and in Your power be a judge for me.

verse: O God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth.

Aposticha

Tone 7

О glorious apostles, pillars of the Church, preachers of the Truth, radiant beacons:* With the fire of the Spirit you consumed all delusion* and illumined the race of mankind with faith.* Wherefore, we beseech you: Entreat our Saviour and God,* that He grant peace to the world and save our souls.

I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.

О apostles of Christ, husbandmen of the Saviour,* bearing the Cross upon your shoulders as a plough,* and having cleared the earth made hard by the delusion of idolatry,* you sowed the word of faith*. And you are fittingly honoured, О holy apostles of Christ.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.

О most praised martyrs, spiritual lambs,* reason-endowed holocausts, acceptable sacrifices well-pleasing to God:* the earth could not hide you, but heaven received you,* and you have become communicants with the angels.* With them entreat our Saviour and God,* we pray you, that He grant peace to the world and save our souls.

Tone 8, Glory…

Assembling with faith today, O you who love to look upon things divine,* behold the strange and noetic contest of James of Persia,* who has shone upon us like the star which appeared to the magi,* guiding us to true knowledge;* for that valiant one, when he fell, destroyed those who fought against him,* and when his members were severed,* he rendered those who tortured him impotent,* for he was strengthened by the providence of the Most High, crying out:* “Even though you sever my material limbs, yet I have Christ,* who has spiritually become all things to me!”* Foreseeing the life to come, which lies before all through death,* he hastened to pass over to it,* and abiding therein, he entreats God, the Bestower of crowns,* that He grant cleansing, enlightenment, and great mercy to us* who celebrate his memory.

Now…

I flee to your protection, O holy Virgin Theotokos,* for I know that through thee I shall obtain salvation;* for you are able to help me, O pure one.

Troparia

Tone 4

You suffered awful torments at the hands of foreigners,* but you astonished everyone by the heroism of your endurance.* Each time one of your limbs was severed from your body,* you uttered a prayer of thanks to God.* For this you were crowned after your ordeal,* and you have been admitted to the court of heaven.* O long-suffering James, beg Him to save our souls.

Tone 8, Glory…

In you, O holy father Palladius, the faithful image of God shone forth,* for you carried your cross and followed Christ.* You taught by your deeds how to spurn the body, for it passes away;* and how to value the soul, for it is immortal.* Therefore, your soul is forever in happiness with the angels.

Now…

O pure Mother of God, you are the gate of spiritual life,* save from all dangers those who run to you with confidence* to glorify your holy birthgiving* for the salvation of our souls.

DIVINE LITURGY ON THURSDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: You suffered awful torments at the hands of foreigners,* but you astonished everyone by the heroism of your endurance.* Each time one of your limbs was severed from your body,* you uttered a prayer of thanks to God.* For this you were crowned after your ordeal,* and you have been admitted to the court of heaven.* O long-suffering James, beg Him to save our souls.

Troparion, Tone 8: In you, O holy father Palladius, the faithful image of God shone forth,* for you carried your cross and followed Christ.* You taught by your deeds how to spurn the body, for it passes away;* and how to value the soul, for it is immortal.* Therefore, your soul is forever in happiness with the angels.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 2: As a bright and unerring star you appeared to the world* proclaiming with your rays the Sun, that is, Christ, O martyr, James,* and you have extinguished all error.* But to us you give light, praying without ceasing for all of us.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2: Divinely armed with purity of spirit* and mightily wielding the lance of unceasing prayers,* you overcame the powers of demons,* Venerable Palladius, pray without ceasing for all of us.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

The just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.

verse: Hear, O God, my voice when I make my petition to You. (Psalm 63:11,2)

Epistle

2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5

Alleluia, Tone 4

verse: The just man shall flourish like the palm tree; and he shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon.

verse: They who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish the courts of our God. (Psalm 91:13,14)

Gospel

Luke 13:1-9

Communion Hymn

The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)