Hymnography of the Church as Prayer
Come, let us praise the saints of North America,
holy hierarchs, venerable monastics, and glorious martyrs,
pious men, women, and children, both known and unknown!
Through their words and deeds, in various walks of life,
by the grace of the Spirit they achieved true holiness.
Now as they stand in the presence of Christ Who glorified them,//
they pray for us, who celebrate their memory with love.
Come, let us assemble today
and glorify the luminaries of the North American lands,
the glorious martyrs and holy bishops who confirmed our faith,
the righteous dwellers in the wilderness and guides of the spiritual life!
Let us cry out to them in joy://
“All Saints of North America, known and unknown, pray to God for us!”
As the brightest sun,
as the brilliance of the Morning Star,
the precious feast of the saints of North America has dawned for us,
to illumine us and to set our hearts on fire,
to imitate their godly lives,//
and to follow their example of zeal for God.
Come, let us assemble today
and let us praise the elect of North America!
Having fought the good fight, you have persevered in the faith,
receiving your crowns of victory from God.
Beseech Him to deliver from every calamity and sorrow//
all who keep your holy memory in faith and in love!
The earth rejoices and the heavens are glad,
O venerable Saints of America,
praising your labors and lives, your spiritual fortitude and purity of heart.
By driving away a multitude of demons
and enlightening many people with the light of the Orthodox Faith,//
you have confirmed our land.
Rejoice, O mountains of Pennsylvania;
leap for joy, O waters of the Great Lakes;
rise up, O fertile plains of Canada;
for the elect of Christ who dwelt in you are glorified,
men and women who left their homes for a new land!
With faith, hope, and patience as their armor,
they courageously fought the good fight.
Comforted by the beauty of the Orthodox Faith,
they labored in mines and mills, they tilled the land,
they braved the challenges of the great cities,
enduring many hardships and sufferings.
Never failing to worship God in spirit and truth
and unyielding in devotion to His most pure Mother,
they erected many temples to His glory.
Come, O assembly of the Orthodox,
and with love let us praise the holy men, women, and children,
those known to us and those known only to God,
and let us cry out to them://
“Rejoice, all Saints of North America and pray to God for us!”
Rejoice, O continent of North America, illumined by the holy Gospel!
Rejoice, every province, state, city, and town,
which raised up citizens of the heavenly Kingdom!
Rejoice, our venerable Father Herman, first saint of our land!
Rejoice O Martyrs Juvenaly and Peter,
for your blood has watered the seed of faith planted in Alaska!
Rejoice, O holy Hierarchs: Innocent, Tikhon, Nicholas, Raphael, and John!
Rejoice, O holy Fathers Alexis, John, and all you righteous priests!
Rejoice, all Saints of North America,
for your light has shone forth to the ends of the earth!//
We beseech you to pray to Christ our God that our souls may be saved!
Rejoice, O faithful Church in the North American lands!
Rejoice, O venerable Father Herman of Alaska,
for you were the first to intercede in our land, guiding our people to the True Faith!
Through your miracles and wonders,
the light of Christ has illumined all the ends of our land.//
We beseech you to pray to Christ our God, to grant our souls great mercy!
Rejoice, all Saints of North America,
precious adornments of our lands;
the unshakable pillars of our Church;
the glory of the Orthodox, the fountains of wonders;
inexhaustible streams of love and virtue;
brilliant lights and humble instruments of the Holy Spirit;
heavenly men and earthly angels;
the true friends of Christ!//
Fervently beseech Him to grant mercy to those who honor you!
Most glorious saints and guardians of the North American lands,
spiritual and heavenly City of Zion on high;
beacons for those who dwelt in the darkness of despair;
sacred coals of repentance; precious pearls of virtue;
defenders of widows and orphans and the oppressed;
exemplary followers of the teachings of the Church,
and joyful keepers of abstinence:
Pray without ceasing to Christ,
beseeching Him to grant unity and stability to our Church,//
and peace and great mercy to our land!
Today, as we celebrate the memory of all the Saints of North America,
let us praise them as is fitting,
for they lived all of Christ’s beatitudes.
Deprived of material wealth, they became rich in spirit;
meek, they inherited the earth;
mourning, they were comforted;
thirsting for righteousness, they were satisfied;
merciful, they obtained mercy;
pure in heart, they beheld the image of God;
as peacemakers, they became God’s children;
persecuted and tortured for righteousness’ sake, they now rejoice in heaven;//
and they pray fervently to the Lord that He may have mercy on our souls.
