Akathist to All Saints of North America

Kontakion 1

With glad and grateful hearts we honor you, All Saints of North America. You are the first fruits of Christ’s bountiful harvest in the new world. You gave your lives as an offering of love. You labored faithfully in the Vineyard of the Lord’s holy Church. Through your prayers we enter into the joy of the Orthodox Way. As we assemble today to honor you we cry:

Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Ikos 1

We glorify the Lord Who has glorified you, holy men, women and children of these North American Lands. We stand in awe before the miracles you have worked, revealed to us by our heavenly Father. Together with the bodiless choirs, we offer you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, hierarch Tikhon, humble shepherd of your American flock,
Rejoice, venerable Herman, defender and heavenly intercessor,
Rejoice, father Innocent, evangelizer of Siberia and Alaska,
Rejoice, martyr Juvenal, courageous witness to the gospel,
Rejoice, bishop Nicholas, teacher of heavenly theology,
Rejoice, father Alexis, defender of the Orthodox way,
Rejoice, wonderworker John of San Francisco,
Rejoice, Raphael, first bishop of Brooklyn,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 2

Holy new martyrs of North America, we honor your lives by pondering the sufferings that led to your deaths. You were faithful to the end, having been crowned by the Lord as His faithful witnesses. Through your prayers we are delivered from the snares of the evil one, so that we might sing an everlasting Alleluia:

Ikos 2

The Church of North America is renewed through the shedding of your blood, holy martyrs. Through your sufferings you strengthen those who follow your footsteps down the hard and narrow way. Seeing you clothed in white robes and glorifying the Lord of Hosts, we sing to you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, holy Tikhon, long‐suffering confessor of the Orthodox Church,
Rejoice, hieromartyr Alexander, passion‐bearer of St. Petersburg,
Rejoice, father John, first martyr of the Bolshevik revolution,
Rejoice, holy Juvenal, zealous preacher of divine grace,
Rejoice, blessed Peter, star of the Aleutian peoples,
Rejoice, martyrs overcoming the power of darkness,
Rejoice, patrons of the North American Church,
Rejoice, good soldiers striving to the very end,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 3

Having led your people to the homeland of God’s Kingdom, you defended the faith entrusted to you, confessors and defenders of the North American Church. Having rightly directed the word of the truth, you preserve us from the injury of false teachings. You gave yourself to imprisonment, sufferings and death ‐ remaining faithful all the while to the One Who is Himself Faithful and True. Seeing your steadfastness in times of affliction, we sing to God an everlasting Alleluia:

Ikos 3

The adversary and enemy of our souls never ceases his ferocious attacks against Christ’s holy Church. Hating the light of the Father’s radiance that shines from your lives, the children of the evil one condemned you to imprisonment and death. As your grateful children, we offer to you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, righteous Tikhon, protector of the sacred treasures of the Church,
Rejoice, valiant preachers of the Wisdom, Word, and the Power of God,
Rejoice, holy Nicholas, defender of your people in times of oppression,
Rejoice, comfort of those persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
Rejoice, inspired teachers of the royal way of Orthodox theology,
Rejoice, father John, loyal priest and intercessor for the faithful,
Rejoice, faithful guides leading us on the path of salvation,
Rejoice, guardians of the Tradition of the Holy Apostles,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 4

As imitators of the twelve apostles, you traveled from the Pacific to the Atlantic in order to make disciples of North America’s many peoples. You gave us an Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven.* You taught us with The Word* of salvation. In this way you ministered to your people so that we might sing an everlasting Alleluia:

* St. Innocent’s book written and published in the Aleut language in 1833.

* St. Raphael’s “THE WORD” the official publication - magazine of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America.

Ikos 4

With love and zeal you tilled the soil of the North American lands with the divine seed of the gospel. Through the sowing of Christ’s word, the fruits of the Spirit were cultivated in this new land. You uprooted the tares of false teachings and brought forth a great harvest of faith. Together with the holy apostles we offer to you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, visionaries of the Orthodox Church in America,
Rejoice, dispellers of spiritual darkness and ignorance,
Rejoice, inexhaustible treasuries of Divine Wisdom,
Rejoice, zealous defenders of the one true faith,
Rejoice, faithful guardians of the holy mysteries,
Rejoice, chosen successors of the Holy Apostles,
Rejoice, living icons of the evangelical life,
Rejoice, teachers of Orthodox doctrine,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 5

The Lord sent you to this new land in order to enlighten its peoples with the knowledge of God. Through your words you have overcome the darkness of error and unbelief. Through your deeds you have shown us how to live a virtuous way of life. Inspired by your labors and your preaching of the gospel, we sing to God an everlasting Alleluia:

Ikos 5

After His resurrection the Son of God made man sent His twelve apostles to the ends of the earth in order to declare His name among all nations. In these latter days, the Lord has sent you, as Equals to the Apostles, in order to teach us the commandments of the gospel. Following in your footsteps, apostles and evangelists of North America, we sing to you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, hierarch Tikhon, pioneer of Orthodoxy in North America,
Rejoice, father Innocent, master of native American languages,
Rejoice, Sebastian, founder of many churches in the West,
Rejoice, Raphael, patron of learning for all the faithful,
Rejoice, good stewards of the Household of the Lord,
Rejoice, blessed John, reconciliation of your children,
Rejoice, laborers in the vineyard of the Church,
Rejoice, preachers of Christ’s resurrection,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 6

In obedience to the will of God, you left your ancestral homelands, hierarchs of North America. In order to fulfill your episcopal work you sailed the great oceans and crossed vast continents. With diligence you sought after your scattered flock and guided them to the shelter of the Lord’s Church. As loving fathers you fed your children with the teachings of the gospel, so that we might sing an everlasting Alleluia:

Ikos 6

Holy hierarchs of North America, you endured many wants and hardships in order to fulfill your episcopal work here in this new land. Through your lowliness, we have been exalted in Christ. Through your poverty, we have become rich in Spirit. As models of virtue, we sing to you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, father Innocent, evangelizer of the Northern peoples,
Rejoice, patriarch Tikhon, defender of the Apostolic Tradition,
Rejoice, wonderworker John, pious exemplar of forgiveness,
Rejoice, blessed Raphael, teacher of Orthodox children,
Rejoice, holy Mardarius, intercessor before the ever merciful Christ!
Rejoice, bishop Nicholas, co‐sufferer of Dachau,
Rejoice, humble servants of the Holy Trinity,
Rejoice, clarions of the gospel of grace!
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 7

Guided by the Holy Spirit, you sailed over vast oceans in order to fulfill your apostolic witness, holy missionaries of North America. Following the example of the blessed Cyril and Methodius, you translated the scriptures and divine services into the tongues of the local peoples and established schools for the training of native clergy. All of this you have done so that we might sing an everlasting Alleluia:

Ikos 7

Burning with the love of Christ, you traversed the breadth of this new continent in order to nurture and edify the Church which God obtained through the blood of His own Son. As successors of your work, sanctified hierarchs and evangelists, we sing to you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, imitators of the chosen apostles Peter and Paul,
Rejoice, trustworthy guides on the road to eternal life,
Rejoice, teachers of the first principles of the gospel,
Rejoice, noble preachers of the grace of Jesus Christ,
Rejoice, living icons of righteousness and holiness,
Rejoice, good shepherds of the Church in America,
Rejoice, zealous instructors of Orthodox theology,
Rejoice, humble servants following the will of God,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 8

Following the example of the Holy Fathers, you gave yourselves over to many labors and struggles, blessed monastics and ascetics of the new world. You have revealed to us the fruits of true holiness. Your obedience to the will of God has confirmed the promises of the Gospel. Your humility has shone forth as an example for all the inhabitants of North America. Seeing you clothed in glory and exalted with Christ, we sing an everlasting Alleluia:

Ikos 8

By observing the commandments of the gospel, you have shown us the path to righteousness and holiness, venerable and God‐bearing monastics. Working together with the grace of God, we imitate your purity of heart, so that we might sing these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, father Herman, founder of monasticism in America,
Rejoice, wonderworking John, holy ascetic of San Francisco,
Rejoice, champions of Orthodoxy here in the new world,
Rejoice, conversers with the angels and the Theotokos,
Rejoice, treasury of the Orthodox Church in America,
Rejoice, wondrous ascetics, comfort of the afflicted,
Rejoice, well‐springs of holiness in North America,
Rejoice, protectors of the poor and dispossessed,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 9

Forsaking the vanity of this world, blessed ascetics of North America, you became disciples of the Divine Teacher by acquiring the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You fought the demons and overcame their power by the power of the sign of the Cross. Through self‐denial and abstinence you have shown forth the inward beauty of holiness and righteousness. Emulating your life of repentance, we sing to God an everlasting Alleluia:

Ikos 9

As living vessels of the grace of Jesus Christ, you sanctify this new land, our venerable fathers and mothers of the North American Continent. You offer to God a sacrifice of loving intercession for those who follow your way. As we assemble to honor your memory, we sing to you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, blessed ones whose names are written in the Book of Life,
Rejoice, valiant soldiers who fought the enemies of Christ,
Rejoice, speedy defenders of those suffering injustice,
Rejoice, restoration of those fallen into grievous sins,
Rejoice, partakers of the heavenly manna,
Rejoice, freedom from the insanity of evil,
Rejoice, fountain of healing for the sick,
Rejoice, passionate lovers of virtue,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 10

Your blameless way of life is a source of amazement to the angels, you righteous ones – known and unknown ‐ of North America. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, you established the Orthodox Faith in this new land. With patience and diligence you built upon a foundation laid long ago with Christ Himself as the Chief Cornerstone. Having received from you the riches of faith, we sing to God an everlasting Alleluia:

Ikos 10

Doing all things for the glory of God and the love of your neighbor, you fulfilled your calling to perfect holiness, righteous ones of North America. You accomplished the tasks given to you, according to the measure of grace given to you by God. You fished the great waters of the Alaskan North; you tilled the fertile soils of the Canadian and Midwestern plains; you labored under harsh conditions in the mines and mills; you toiled day and night in the factories of the American cities, all so that we might sing to you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, faithful who took up your crosses and followed Christ,
Rejoice, honored citizens of the heavenly Kingdom,
Rejoice, royal priesthood of the New Jerusalem,
Rejoice, holy nation of the Prince of Peace,
Rejoice, chosen vessels of the Holy Spirit,
Rejoice, pillars of Orthodoxy in America,
Rejoice, eternal city of the living God,
Rejoice, pious teachers of children,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 11

The Wisdom, Word and Power of God, begotten from His Father before the beginning of time, was born in time and in these latter days from His Holy Mother, the Theotokos and ever‐virgin Mary. Through the grace of the Spirit, blessed ones of North America, you became partakers of the divine nature, having perfected within yourselves the Image of the One Who is the express Image of the Father. Together we sing to our Lord an everlasting Alleluia:

Ikos 11

The King of Heaven and earth humbled himself by taking the form of a servant in order to become the least and the last of His brethren. In His never‐ending love for man, He poured Himself out fully ‐ so that we might be filled with all the fullness of His grace. Following His example, righteous ones of North America, you served those to whom you were sent: you healed the sick, you gave aid to the poor, you sought out the lost, you raised infants, you guided the youth, you cared for the elderly, all so that we might sing to you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, gracious adornments of the Church in North America,
Rejoice, benefactors of believers living in the new world,
Rejoice, blessed ascetics, wonder of the angelic hosts,
Rejoice, venerable Fathers, guides for the fallen,
Rejoice, illumination of those living in darkness,
Rejoice, bright stars of the Northern heavens,
Rejoice, holy mothers, life of your children,
Rejoice, bearers of the saving word of God,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 12

Surrounded by your heavenly glory, hierarchs, martyrs, apostles, monastics and all righteous men and women of North America, known and unknown, we beseech you – as your spiritual children ‐ to intercede for us before Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. We worship the Lord Who has given you to us as heavenly patrons and guardians for the protection and salvation of our souls and bodies. Together with the bodiless hosts, we sing to God an everlasting Alleluia:

Ikos 12

We celebrate your great works, All Saints of North America. We offer thanks to Christ for the wondrous deeds you have accomplished through Him for the enlightenment of all men, women, and children living in this new land. Together with God’s elect, we sing to you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, exultation of the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific West,
Rejoice, beacons of the Great Lakes and the Midwestern plains,
Rejoice, adornment of New England and the Atlantic states,
Rejoice, wondrous aurora of Alaska and the Arctic North,
Rejoice, heavenly constellation of Canada and Quebec,
Rejoice, shining stars of the North American continent,
Rejoice, bright flowers of the Southwestern deserts,
Rejoice, fragrant blossoms of the American South,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 13

Holy luminaries of North America, look down upon your sinful servants and accept this present supplication. Entreat the Lord Jesus Christ that He will bestow upon us His many mercies. Be a refuge and a protection for us that we might be delivered from all physical and spiritual harm. Guide us into the heavenly Kingdom, so that we might sing to God an everlasting Alleluia: (Three times).

(Repeat the above Kontakion 13, 3 times)
(Then continue below)

Ikos 1

We glorify the Lord Who has glorified you, holy men, women and children of these North American Lands. We stand in awe before the miracles you have worked, revealed to us by our heavenly Father. Together with the bodiless choirs, we offer you these words of loving praise:

Rejoice, hierarch Tikhon, humble shepherd of your American flock,
Rejoice, venerable Herman, defender and heavenly intercessor,
Rejoice, father Innocent, evangelizer of Siberia and Alaska,
Rejoice, martyr Juvenal, courageous witness to the gospel,
Rejoice, bishop Nicholas, teacher of heavenly theology,
Rejoice, father Alexis, defender of the Orthodox way,
Rejoice, wonderworker John of San Francisco,
Rejoice, Raphael, first bishop of Brooklyn,
Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Kontakion 1

With glad and grateful hearts we honor you, All Saints of North America. You are the first fruits of Christ’s bountiful harvest in the new world. You gave your lives as an offering of love. You labored faithfully in the Vineyard of the Lord’s holy Church. Through your prayers we enter into the joy of the Orthodox Way. As we assemble today to honor you we cry:

Rejoice, All Saints of North America!

Prayer to All Saints of North America

Blessed and wise saints of God, who have been sanctified in North America by your holy deeds, and having left your relics as seeds of the Orthodox faith, you now stand before the throne of God in ceaseless prayer for our land. We sinners made bold on this day offer to you these hymns of praise. We exalt your great and holy deeds, spiritual warriors of Christ, who with patience and courage have vanquished the enemy, delivering us from his craft and cunning. We bless your holy lives, lamps of God, who have shown the light of grace and virtue and have illumined our minds and hearts with the knowledge of God. We glorify your great miracles, flowers of paradise, who have blossomed in our land, spreading the sweet fragrance of your gifts and wonders. We praise your love that reflects God’s own love, defenders and intercessors, and trusting in your help, we fall down before you and cry: Holy Hierarchs and Enlighteners of North America: Innocent, Tikhon, Raphael, John, Nicholas, Alexis, Sebastian, and Mardarius! Help us the faithful here in this new land to preserve steadfastly the Orthodox faith that you have planted in us as a seed that, watered by divine rain, will bring forth fruit a hundredfold. Confirm the Church here by your prayers, and gather the scattered sheep into one flock, preserving it safe from all harm. Holy Father Herman of Alaska, first sanctified in this new land, keep us from the delusions of this transitory life, that denying ourselves and taking up our cross, we may follow Christ, crucifying our flesh with its sins and passions, and bearing each others burdens. Saints known and unknown, who have shown through the history of this land, remember our weakness and hardship, and by your prayers beseech Christ our God, that we, having successfully crossed the sea of this life, may reach the harbor of eternal salvation together with you who have served Him throughout the ages. Through the grace and compassion and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom together with the Eternal Father and the Most Holy Spirit be never-ending glory and worship by all creation unto ages of ages.

Amen.