For all Akathists published on our site, click here. This Akathist was translated by Maxim, who kindly asks all Orthodox Christians to keep him in their prayers for his repentance. Original source at the bottom. Explore more prayer: Romanian Orthodox Heritage, Akathists to Church Fathers and Confessors, Akathists to Ascetics and Monastics
Feast Day: 16 June
Kontakion, Tone 8
Come, let us praise the leader of Romanian Orthodoxy, the one blessed with all the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and let us sing with love to the one united with God: Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Ikos 1
You were fashioned, Father, as a vessel of divine love, the path of mercy, showing yourself wise from childhood with a longing for the angelic life, lover of virginity. Therefore, desiring to follow the Risen One just as you yourself did, we sing to you thus:
Rejoice, for you have sanctified the Name of the Father in all things;
Rejoice, for you have honored the Image of the Son in all things;
Rejoice, for you have glorified the grace of the Spirit in all things;
Rejoice, for grace has kindled you as the light of the world;
Rejoice, for darkness has not overcome you;
Rejoice, O wonder of the Mother of God;
Rejoice, O fragrance of the Savior;
Rejoice, O merciful firstfruits of virginity;
Rejoice, song of songs of monastic life;
Rejoice, for you have planted the fear of the Lord in your mind;
Rejoice, for you have rested in the Word Himself;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Kontakion 2
Preserving your youth in holiness, you mastered the flight of the mind by working the Gift of Baptism with the weapons of the Philokalia, and walking the path of self-sacrifice, you bore pure witness to Orthodoxy, reverend father, teaching all to sing, lifted up by grace: Alleluia!
Ikos 2
Ceaselessly engaged in the spiritual work of the mind and heart, Father, you said that “prayer is to gaze with the sorrowful serenity of the heart upon the meaning veiled in the Psalter and revealed in the Gospel.” Hoping to receive the grace of your prayer as well, we praise you, saying:
Rejoice, for you desired to speak face to face with Christ;
Rejoice, for you honored the teachings of the Church as powerful means of salvation;
Rejoice, for you read the writings of the Saints with eagerness throughout your life;
Rejoice, for you protected the arts of the Church as apostolic adornments;
Rejoice, for you devoted yourself to the holy Byzantine icons and to the spirit of ancient psalmody;
Rejoice, unceasing companion of the heart’s prayer;
Rejoice, for because of this you have banished the memory of evil;
Rejoice, for you have purified the beginning of thought toward holy wisdom;
Rejoice, for you have always striven toward the fruit of the Spirit;
Rejoice, for with thought and speech you have glorified the Holy Trinity;
Rejoice, for because of your insight you were called “the spiritual father of the nation”;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Kontakion 3
O Most Pious One, you bore in your heart the patron saint of your country, the Protection of the Mother of God, and you said with reverence: “Standing in the Church of glory, it seems to us as though we are in heaven,” like an archangel rousing the faithful to “stand firm, stand in reverence,” so that we may sing forever: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
With the sword of the Spirit, cleaving the veil of thoughts, you penetrated the very core of things, Father, and valiantly overcame the crafty one with the humility of your holy heart, for from the depths of the prisons at Suceava, Gherla, Baia Sprie, Aiud, and Periprava, the incense of your sacrifice pierced the heavens with glory, for which the Church and the nation give you thanks today:
Rejoice, Mind of Christ in the sweet Moldavian voice;
Rejoice, Ecumenical Father in the ancestral faith;
Rejoice, priesthood of fervent love and blamelessness;
Rejoice, you who are a severe rebuke to unbelief;
Rejoice, for in your youth you were imprisoned and persecuted for the sake of the Image of the Lord;
Rejoice, for by enduring 17 years of cold, hunger, beatings, torments, and humiliations, you proved your holiness;
Rejoice, for you zealously bore witness without ceasing for the sake of the Image of the Lord;
Rejoice, for after the communist prisons, you were hunted even more relentlessly by the neo-communist camp;
Rejoice, for you grieved deeply for the Image of the Lord, blasphemed by the chip-based identification documents;
Rejoice, for you remained imprisoned in your cell until the end of your life;
Rejoice, for you endured the sufferings of the end to the very end;
Rejoice, for together with the New Martyrs you bore the fruit of Christianity’s beauty;
Rejoice, for you inscribed the life of the Savior in our hearts and sealed it there;
Rejoice, for you have secured for us the inheritance of the Resurrection of our people at the cost of your own lives;
Rejoice, river of tears, who in the depths of the dungeon sang of the paradise of Romania;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so deeply!
Kontakion 4
Being freer in chains than your executioners, you bore all monastic trials with superhuman fortitude; and entering the innermost recesses of your heart and casting aside all carnal thought, the Resurrection was kindled within you through the light of repentance. And raising the flame of divine longing like a banner, together with your brother martyrs you sang to God beyond time: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
Those who hate God cannot look upon the height of the Cross, for light pours forth from the Savior’s wounds; and just as He is glorified forever, so too does the one who triumphs through Him, like Him, receive the hymns of glory:
Rejoice, for your murderers did not understand that you were proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven to them;
Rejoice, for not knowing the True King, they did not understand why you loved Him even unto death;
Rejoice, for you endured long sufferings in a multitude of torments for the Faith;
Rejoice, for from your heavenly roots you rose again, even more radiant;
Rejoice, for you had mercy on your enemies and forgave them with love;
Rejoice, for your names shine in the Book of Life on the page of your ancestral lineage;
Rejoice, for even now they seek to erase your memory from the conscience of humanity;
Rejoice, O Holy One, for honoring the New Martyrs was your obedience;
Rejoice, for by building shrines for them, you fulfilled your calling;
Rejoice, for though you suffered in the Bolshevik hell, your love for people never wavered;
Rejoice, for through your humble mindset, you emerged even stronger from the current nihilistic persecution;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so deeply!
Kontakion 5
With the Holy Spirit illuminating your thoughts, you united your heart with Him, O most pious one, and by combining good will with right thinking, you became “the icon of all philosophy,” as the Great Gregory says. For this reason, your deeds bore witness to your high piety, and the heavenly powers rejoiced in you, singing to God: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
Laying Christian love as the foundation of your life, you united all forms of love as in a rainbow of Christ’s Light, and through it, interceding so that the Holy Spirit might descend upon all creation, receive from us as well, with gratitude, hymns such as these:
Rejoice, you who have embraced all creation with your prayer;
Rejoice, for you have shown even sinners true honor;
Rejoice, you who have known all in spirit and truth;
Rejoice, for you clearly knew the truth of things and the innermost depths of souls;
Rejoice, for their outward appearance did not deceive you, even though it pained you;
Rejoice, for though glorified, you humbled yourself even in humiliation;
Rejoice, for though filled with heavenly glory, you considered yourself dust;
Rejoice, for weeping for your people rejuvenated you like an eagle;
Rejoice, tender dove of praise;
Rejoice, fountain of myrrh and bosom of piety;
Rejoice, for in the Spirit you have weighed the measure of all things;
Rejoice, for with the step of mystery you have ascended the ladder to heaven;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Kontakion 6
As in a heavenly pomegranate, you have embraced the Savior’s sweetness, and with the proper nourishment you have drawn each one to Him, and you have breathed the joy of grace upon all, so that all may sing: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
You have ascended to the fullness of your heart, and receiving the embrace of the Eternal Comforter, you have been deemed worthy of great gifts, O Holy One, raising the spiritually dead to life, and adorned with the gift of divine vision, through your love for humanity you have crossed the boundary of knowledge, so that you might hear songs such as these:
Rejoice, you who, with the Holy Spirit, groan for humanity;
Rejoice, you who, with the Savior in Gethsemane, lament for all;
Rejoice, you who, with the Father, bear witness to the Son of all;
Rejoice, you who, with the Mother of the Lord, stand as our guarantor;
Rejoice, you who, with the Forerunner, proclaim the power of repentance and the coming end;
Rejoice, for you protect the young from mental laziness and weakness of will;
Rejoice, for you guide women toward piety;
Rejoice, for you strengthen men to be vigilant and God-fearing;
Rejoice, for you protect every afflicted soul;
Rejoice, for you deliver those possessed by demons and those burdened by heavy passions;
Rejoice, for you understand and comfort even the insane;
Rejoice, for you called pride the worst of all impurities;
Rejoice, for you always reminded us not to mistake humility for cowardice;
Rejoice, for you always gave yourself to everyone, in season and out of season;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Kontakion 7
A revelation of the hermit’s mystery and a mirror of the patriarchs of old, you persevered in holiness through harsh and unceasing asceticism, and the Mother of God ever favored you; she delivered you from prison, and her blessing overshadowed all your works. And we, seeing you shine more brilliantly than a precious stone, sing with the heavenly hosts: Alleluia!
Ikos 7
You were an unblemished bride of the Holy Trinity, and you greatly delighted Jesus, O Father! Pure in heart, body, and deed, you proved yourself a father to the nation through your asceticism and wise words. Marveling at the beauty of your virginity, the entire angelic host sings to you with sweet reverence thus:
Rejoice, shield of all purity;
Rejoice, lily of perfect manhood;
Rejoice, you who are betrothed to the deed of righteousness;
Rejoice, you who are rejuvenated by the sigh of repentance;
Rejoice, honeycomb of silence;
Rejoice, son of consolation;
Rejoice, pinnacle of Romanian poetry;
Rejoice, delight of Christian harmony;
Rejoice, dwelling place of Christ;
Rejoice, tender Byzantine hymn;
Rejoice, prince of mercy;
Rejoice, joy of deification;
Rejoice, leafy staff of hope;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Kontakion 8
Being in paradise with the Lord and never parting from Him, descending with mercy to heal the wounds of souls, your heart celebrated the Liturgy, saying: “Lift up your heads, O gates of nature, and the King of Glory will enter in. Alleluia!”
Ikos 8
You are a mighty and fearsome arm against the cunning spirits, O most radiant Father, and an arm of blessing to the faithful, bestowing “the Help of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” And as you teach us to love all people without distinction, to discern and distinguish between spirits, and to unite righteousness and holy mercy, we sing to you thus:
Rejoice, swift guarantor of the soul;
Rejoice, spring of grace for those who thirst;
Rejoice, for you yourself were unrelenting in your struggles;
Rejoice, for in spiritual labors you grant sweet rest;
Rejoice, for through your living words you bring peace;
Rejoice, for you easily explain the meanings beyond nature;
Rejoice, great wonder-worker, who gives sight to the blind and speech to the mute;
Rejoice, for you set hardened hearts ablaze with love for Christ;
Rejoice, for your life is a miracle of the Gospel;
Rejoice, for you are a swift healer of the mind’s barrenness;
Rejoice, for you are a wondrous deliverer from the barrenness of the womb;
Rejoice, for you are a masterful guide toward the fruitfulness of the spirit;
Rejoice, for you have hidden yourself in simplicity from the proud;
Rejoice, for you have clothed the humble with the power of contemplation;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Kontakion 9
What language can express your love for the saints, and even more so your love for the Ever-Virgin and Mother of God? All her icons in the church of your monastery at Petru Vodă wept when you celebrated the Liturgy, and we, filled with spiritual joy, sing to the Lord God: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
The eloquent orators and lovers of silver are like voiceless fish before your theology, Father, for to confirm the words of the Savior, you bear witness both in speech and with your entire life; for this reason, we now sing to you:
Rejoice, for in Jesus you are the wonder of the angels;
Rejoice, for in Jesus you are the deliverance of the forefathers;
Rejoice, for in Jesus you are the staff of the high priests;
Rejoice, for in Jesus you are the wisdom of the rulers;
Rejoice, for in Jesus you are the praise of the prophets;
Rejoice, for in Jesus you are the strength of the martyrs;
Rejoice, for in Jesus you are the joy of the monks;
Rejoice, for in Jesus you are the sweetness of the priests;
Rejoice, for in Jesus you are the guide of the hermits;
Rejoice, for in Jesus you are the joy of the most pious;
Rejoice, for in Jesus you have ascended with your heart to heaven;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Kontakion 10
Mourning for humanity like a loving mother, Father, you took upon yourself a threefold martyrdom—in body, soul, and spirit—so that through you, too, the word might be fulfilled: “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Unable as we unworthy ones are to speak of your sufferings, our hearts sing in wonder: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
With the thread of prayer, you wove the veil of your moments into the filigree of eternity, and by enhancing the beauty of the world with your deified experiences, O most wonderful Father, you painted a new heaven and a new earth upon the stones of the hearts of those who sing to you:
Rejoice, myrrh of most sweet fragrance;
Rejoice, outpouring of the springs of the Spirit;
Rejoice, key to the light that never sets;
Rejoice, spiritual gateway to the Immaculate Bride;
Rejoice, Dacian chalice and the dawn of blessed Romania;
Rejoice, steadfast treasure chest of the broken heart;
Rejoice, sweet sunshine in this age of sorrow;
Rejoice, for you leave us your great love as a legacy;
Rejoice, for though surrounded by many, your soul remained unknown;
Rejoice, for you were known only to Christ;
Rejoice, for you became like the Savior;
Rejoice, for the basil blossomed at the moment of your death;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Kontakion 11
Interpreting the words, “on earth as it is in heaven,” you taught that the power of God is fulfilled only through the Spirit—in thought and deed, in the monastery, and in the city. And calling the idle dreamers and the thoughtless doers “unbelievers,” you shone as an example of the Mind of Christ to those who wish to sing: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
Recalling what is written: “And when He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, for they were weary and scattered like sheep without a shepherd,” you shepherded us like a new Abraham, and even in the suffering of your final hour, you still thought of the people and blessed them, saying: “May the grace of God be upon all Romanians and upon all of Romania!” For this reason, with one voice we praise you thus:
Rejoice, sword of Christendom in the Peace of Christ;
Rejoice, holy prince of the city, son of the Mother of God;
Rejoice, seraphim of valor;
Rejoice, zeal for martyrdom;
Rejoice, bearer of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, pillar of divine longing;
Rejoice, for you have attained the measure of the perfect man;
Rejoice, measure of the angel and image of Jesus the King;
Rejoice, celebrant of the Godhead;
Rejoice, Romanian falcon in the glory of immortality;
Rejoice, banner of Tradition, who suffered for freedom in the spirit;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Kontakion 12
Like a living Scripture, you walked through the darkness of this age, and as one close to the Trinity, with the discernment of spiritual vision, you inscribed within your very being the words that transcend nature, through which creation sings: Alleluia!
Ikos 12
Deep upon deep calls the voice of your tears, for you have gathered within yourself the Lord’s tear with the tear of your people, O most long-suffering father, and the Romanian people’s longing for salvation has been fulfilled through you. You shine as the icon of true Romania before the world; heaven and earth now praise you and sing to you:
Rejoice, for you bring glory to the Father through thought, word, and mind;
Rejoice, for you give glory to the Son, loving all fervently through spirit and truth;
Rejoice, for you honor the Holy Spirit equally through body, soul, and spirit, O Father;
Rejoice, you who know divine simplicity;
Rejoice, you who preach spiritual freedom;
Rejoice, beloved and household member of God;
Rejoice, you whom the demons fear terribly;
Rejoice, masterful steward of grace;
Rejoice, beholder of uncreated glory;
Rejoice, swallow in the dawn of prayer;
Rejoice, diamond of the ark of wonder;
Rejoice, you who have ever dwelt in the assembly of the saints;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Kontakion 13
O Most Reverend Father Justin, comforter of the Romanians, beacon of Orthodoxy, ask of the Lord—as Elisha once asked of Elijah—that we too may receive a fragment of the grace given to you, so that in the Holy Spirit every living soul may sing: Alleluia!
Repeat three times.
Ikos 1
You were fashioned, Father, as a vessel of divine love, the path of mercy, showing yourself wise from childhood with a longing for the angelic life, lover of virginity. Therefore, desiring to follow the Risen One just as you yourself did, we sing to you thus:
Rejoice, for you have sanctified the Name of the Father in all things;
Rejoice, for you have honored the Image of the Son in all things;
Rejoice, for you have glorified the grace of the Spirit in all things;
Rejoice, for grace has kindled you as the light of the world;
Rejoice, for darkness has not overcome you;
Rejoice, O wonder of the Mother of God;
Rejoice, O fragrance of the Savior;
Rejoice, O merciful firstfruits of virginity;
Rejoice, song of songs of monastic life;
Rejoice, for you have planted the fear of the Lord in your mind;
Rejoice, for you have rested in the Word Himself;
Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Kontakion, Tone 8
Come, let us praise the leader of Romanian Orthodoxy, the one blessed with all the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and let us sing with love to the one united with God: Rejoice, Father Justin, who loved so much!
Prayer
Most reverend Father, you who have taken your dwelling in imperishable glory, comfort the souls burdened by the waning of love among people, by the envy of the demons, and by the persecution waged by those under their sway; grant rest now, through the grace of Christ, to our weary hearts. Defend us, Father, from the heavy oppression of this age, burdened by ignorance of the Truth and by blasphemy against Him. Do not deprive us of your guidance in the truth of the faith, which preserves the gift of Love—a gift greater than fleeting life and than any wealth of this world. Intercede with the Savior to send down upon us the light of knowledge and the unadulterated image of piety, so that in the Peace of Christ we may await His most glorious coming, which draws near. Intercede for us, merciful father, though we are unworthy, that through your prayers, filled with martyr-like boldness, we may, together with you, attain life in the Lord, to die for the Lord, and to be united with the Lord, for to Him belongs all honor and worship, together with the Father and His Life-Giving Spirit, AMEN.
Source: https://manastirea.petru-voda.ro/2015/03/22/acatistul-parintelui-justin-parvu/
