Unto you, the courageous companion of Christ, do we, the faithful, chant hymns of praise; for by your mighty intercession, you deliver us from evils, O glorious one. As you have boldness before the throne of God on high, from all misfortunes free us, that we may cry aloud to you:
A soldier in the Army of an earthly king were you, yet your true allegiance to the Almighty King of heaven Whose armies are the host of angels who, beholding your suffering the pangs of diverse tortures for the sake of Christ, stood in awe, crying out to you such things as these:
Beholding the purity of the witness of the holy confessors, the holy Varus besought them humbly, saying: “Pray for me O venerable teachers, for I fear I lack the fortitude to follow you in your path of suffering. How then, will I be found worthy to chant unto God: Alleluia?” Alleluia.
Seeing the goodly disposition of the young soldier’s soul, the confessors of the Lord spoke mercifully to him as he treated their wounds and stripes: “If you will suffer with Him, you shall be glorified with Him: wherefore, do not be afraid.” And since he took to heart their godly counsel, we cry out to him thus:
The power of the Most High overshadowed the glorious Varus when, one of the seven confessors of Christ dying of his wounds, he chose to join the others, to share their sufferings and martyric death, that with them he might cry out to God: Alleluia.
Having conceived in his soul the steadfast resolve to confess the peerless Christian faith before the heathen, the holy Varus put aside his fear and renounced all attachment to the things of this world; wherefore praising his courage and dedication to our Savior, we cry out to him:
A tempest of doubts raging within him, Varus was troubled, knowing the weakness of his flesh; wherefore, he besought the holy teachers of the Faith to pray that he be granted the strength to prevail in his struggle, that, having triumphed, he might chant with the martyrs and the Angels: Alleluia.
The confessors hearkened to the plea of the pious Varus, and reminded him that the athlete who is unwilling to suffer can never obtain the wreath of victory; whereupon they enrolled him in angelic hosts. Wherefore, we praise his valor, crying:
Looking upon the seven holy confessors as a consolation of brilliant stars, the devout Varus was illumined with the brilliance of the grace that shone from them; and bearing the light thereof in his soul, he boldly confessed the name of Jesus before the ungodly tribunal, urging the Empire’s governor to cry out to Christ the true God: Alleluia.
The rulers of the Romans worshiped false gods, graven images wrought by the hands of men; but the blessed Varus, understanding that there is but one God, the Creator of heaven and earth, who in his love for mankind had taken on the form of a servant, bravely denounced their foolish belief; wherefore, we cry out to him:
As God bearing heralds, the holy confessors foretold the martyr’s glorious end; and when their prophecy had been fulfilled, and Varus had proclaimed the true God until his soul departed, they were beheaded by the tyrant, chanting the while unto Christ: Alleluia.
Shining with the light of the Truth, by his confession the martyr dispelled the darkness of falsehood, and unable to bear the might of his preaching, the ungodly cast his body out to be devoured by dogs; but the blessed Cleopatra, having beheld his sufferings, took it up by night and committed it to the earth, crying:
When the pious Cleopatra pondered how to transfer the precious body of the martyr to her native land, she petitioned the governor of Egypt for permission to depart thence, the holy relics being disguised as the remains of her deceased husband. Wherefore, marveling at her artful sagacity, we cry out to God: Alleluia.
Departing from Egypt into Palestine with the body of the martyr, like as Joseph long before had borne the body of Jacob his father to bury it with his forebears, Cleopatra interned the incorrupt relics in her family tomb, among the bones of her ancestors; and with her we cry out to the saint:
Seeing the devout Cleopatra going daily to the tomb of the martyr to pray, the Christians of Edras and all the region around Tabor, likewise began to entreat the intercession of the martyr; and word of the boldness he possesses before the Most High spread far and wide, so that for his sake all the faithful cried out to the Lord: Alleluia.
Filled with joy that the people of God were availing themselves of the prayers of the martyr whose precious body she had rescued, the blessed Cleopatra undertook to build a temple fit to entomb the sacred remains, wherein the martyr might be hymned with such praises as these:
When the temple of the saint was completed, the blessed Cleopatra summoned hierarchs, priests and monastics to concentrate it unto God, and to transfer with due solemnity the sacred relics of the martyr Varus and entomb them beneath the altar, chanting praises and singing: Alleluia.
When all had been accomplished, and a sumptuous feast with laid, John, the only child of Cleopatra, fell sick of a fever and suddenly died; then, overcome with grief, his mother berated the martyr for thus repaying her devotion. But the saint appeared to her with her son, shining with the inevitable light and glory that the intercession of the martyr had secured for him; and in awe the pious woman cried out in praise:
Gently chiding the grieving Cleopatra for her rebuke, the holy Varus recounted how he had ever made entreaty in her behalf and most especially how, having been interred among her ancestors, he had besought the Lord to forgive all their sins and pardon their iniquities, that with the righteous in heaven they might sing unto God: Alleluia.
O the wonder! Christ our God, the Wellspring of the grace that rests in His saints was want to hearken to the mediation of the holy Varus, His favored one, and to extend His mercy onto the departed loved ones of the righteous Cleopatra! Wherefore, marveling at the power of his intercession, with her let us also cry out to him:
Mindful of her many sacrifices for his sake, the holy martyr offered to restore the bereft mother’s son to her; but seeing the divine splendor that suffused John’s soul, and hearing him protest that he preferred to serve in the army of heaven rather than that of an earthly king, the blessed Cleopatra implored the saint to take her soul also that with them she also might cry out to the Master of all: Alleluia.
Hearing the blessed Cleopatra’s plea to depart this life, the holy Varus, knowing the mind of God, gently denied her request, letting her wait upon the good pleasure of the Savior until it was time for her to join them on high; and, reconciled to the will of God, she cried out to the martyr such things as these:
No hymn devised by man can rightfully glorify the great compassion of the martyr Varus; no human mouth is able to utter words fit for his praise; yet as recipients of his manifold benefactions, we are constrained to cry to Christ, who has given him to us as a mediator: Alleluia.
Possessing her soul in patience, the blessed Cleopatra disposed of all her property and gave the proceeds to the poor; and making her abode by the church of the holy Varus, she lived a life of constant prayer and fasting until the martyr came with her son and the angels of God to accompany her to the mansions of heaven. Wherefore we cry aloud to him:
O most lauded Martyr Varus, loyal servant of the Word Who is more holy than all the saints. Accepting this, our meager offering of hymnody, deliver from every peril and rescue from the torment which is to come, all of us who for your sake cry out to God: Alleluia.
A soldier in the Army of an earthly king were you, yet your true allegiance to the Almighty King of heaven Whose armies are the host of angels who, beholding your suffering the pangs of diverse tortures for the sake of Christ, stood in awe, crying out to you such things as these:
Unto you, the courageous companion of Christ, do we, the faithful, chant hymns of praise; for by your mighty intercession, you deliver us from evils, O glorious one. As you have boldness before the throne of God on high, from all misfortunes free us, that we may cry aloud to you:
O glorious and all praised Varus, valiant martyr of Christ, speedy helper, zealous intercessor and fervent advocate for all who have recourse to you with Faith! Standing forth with boldness before the throne of the Most High, entreat Him to grant us remission of all our iniquities, and that we may be delivered from the deadly pestilence, earthquake, flood, fire, the sword, civil strife and everlasting damnation. Entreat Him to take pity on this city, this temple and every land where Orthodox Christians dwell. Intercede with the Almighty, that He grant us triumph and victory over all enemies visible and invisible, and to our nation peace, tranquility, and an increase in faith and piety. And for us who honor your precious memory ask that we be strengthened in the doing of every good and virtuous work. Hearken unto our earnest pleadings, and as you did free the souls of the ancestors of the blessed Cleopatra and secure for them a place in paradise, by the boldness you have with the Master of all, win likewise a place in paradise for our own kinfolk who have passed from this life; having found mercy through your supplications, they and we may all be accounted worthy to inherit His kingdom on high and may therein eternally glorify Him, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen
This Akathist was composed and published at the request of Diaconissa Joannikia Dean in memory of her father Clifford, who, seeking to know the Truth Faith, reposed without the grace of Orthodox Baptism; as well for the souls of John, Lillian and Augustino.
She humbly requests prayers on behalf of Joyce, the mother of him who composed this Akathist, who likewise reposed without the grace of Orthodox Baptism. Through the intercession of the Holy Martyr Varus, and the added prayers of you, dear reader, may they find eternal rest in the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This Akathist Hymn to the Martyr Varus should be used only at home for private prayer for one’s non-Orthodox relatives.
Glorifying God through His Light. Orthodox Mission Church Serving Coolidge and Florence, AZ. Prayer from St Paisius Monastery. Prepared, Edited and Provided by the 50 Hour prayer Committee. Orthodox.Mission.Church@gmail.com