For all Akathists published on our site, click here. This Akathist was recently provided in English by Maxim, who kindly asks all Orthodox Christians to keep him in their prayers for his repentance.
After the Ascension of the Savior, Saint Matthias was chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the Twelve Apostles (Acts 1:15-26). PATRONAGE: hope, perseverance, smallpox, against laziness, against despair, alcoholics (against alcoholism), carpenters, against doubt(s), tailors and lumberjacks
Feast Day: August 9
Kontakion 1
To him who loved the Savior, serving Him with body and soul until his death, who completed the holy group of twelve of the first Apostles called, we honor Saint Matthias the Apostle. And you, Holy Matthias, whom the Holy Spirit chose and descended upon you in the form of tongues of fire, becoming God’s spokesman, hear these praises and fulfill our prayers, we who call upon you: Rejoice , Holy Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Ikos 1
Rising as a chosen branch from the True Vine of Heaven, growing as a fruitful vine and producing the saving wine, you became like the Angels in your behavior, being a skilled tool of the Lord for the enlightenment of the peoples, who, receiving from you the knowledge of the Kingdom of God in deed and Word, glorified you thus:
Rejoice, opening the depths of ignorance;
Rejoice, Apostle worthy of wonder;
Rejoice, taking away the spoils of unclean spirits;
Rejoice, through whom the Council of the 12 Apostles was fulfilled;
Rejoice, chosen by the Holy Spirit, the Comforter;
Rejoice, for you spoke in tongues, receiving the Tongues of Fire;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 2
Your origin was from Bethlehem, of the tribe of Judah, and from childhood you learned the Scriptures and the understanding of the Law in Jerusalem from the Holy and Righteous Simeon, the receiver of God; Holy Matthias, and being guided by him in all good deeds, you lived with divine joy, walking in the righteous ways of the Lord: Alleluia!
Ikos 2
When our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan by Saint John the Baptist, you also heard the preaching and teaching of the Son of God, and seeing His miracles, you were wounded with love for Him, so that we may humbly honor you:
Rejoice, for you despised all worldly things;
Rejoice, for you followed the Lord with the other disciples and the people;
Rejoice, for you were sweetened by the sight of His Face;
Rejoice, for you were nourished by His Holy Words;
Rejoice, for Christ saw your zeal and pure faith;
Rejoice, for He chose you not only as a disciple, but also as an apostle;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 3
Thus, Holy Matthias, our Lord and Savior named you among the 70 lesser apostles mentioned in the Gospel, and sent you into the world to preach His Word, and you received this with the joy of the Angels: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
After His voluntary passion, after the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord Christ, Saint Peter the Apostle sat in the great assembly, in the middle of the church, and looking at the group of the first Apostles, he saw that one was missing, Judas, who had fallen and perished, and God enlightened him to fulfill the number of the 12 Apostles as it was written:
Rejoice, for you stood before the Throne of the Holy Trinity like a Seraphim;
Rejoice, for your heart burned with love for Christ;
Rejoice, for your discipleship was the way of salvation for many;
Rejoice, for in humility you did not speak;
Rejoice, for you watched in silence;
Rejoice, for you did not cease from prayer;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 4
Praying to God, Saint Peter the Apostle named you Saint Matthias and Saint Joseph, called Barsabas, another disciple of the Lord, saying: “You, Lord, who know all hearts, show us the one you have chosen from these two to take the place of Judas in this ministry and apostleship.” And the lot fell on you: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
God confirmed your choice when, at Pentecost, He sent the Holy Spirit in tongues of fire upon you, Holy Apostle, Who sat upon you as He sat upon the other Holy Apostles, giving you similar gifts:
Rejoice, for you were able to speak in all the languages of the earth;
Rejoice, for all spiritual knowledge has nourished you;
Rejoice, for the grace of God has enveloped you;
Rejoice, for your mind has been fully awakened;
Rejoice, for your heart has become an unquenchable prayer;
Rejoice, for Christ has made His dwelling place in you;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 5
You were chosen to preach the Gospel of the Lord in Judea, and you labored greatly, searching the cities and villages and proclaiming the salvation of the world, but you did not walk only in Judea, but also in Ethiopia, where you suffered many torments, being beaten, dragged, hanged, torn by beasts, and burned with fire, but you accepted all these things with joy, strengthened by Christ: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
Arriving later in Macedonia, you were captured by the pagan Greeks who, wanting to test the power of God, gave you a poisonous drink that caused blindness, for whoever tasted it immediately became blind:
Rejoice, for you drank the poison in the name of the Savior;
Rejoice, for you remained unharmed;
Rejoice, for all those blinded by the poison ran to you;
Rejoice, for you laid your hands on them and they were healed by the power of the Lord;
Rejoice, for you restored the light of their physical eyes;
Rejoice, for you also gave them spiritual sight;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 6
Unable to bear this, the devil appeared to the unbelievers in the form of a little child, commanding them to kill you, Holy Matthias, because you were destroying their devilish honor, but you walked unseen among them, and after searching for three days, they did not find you: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
Then you showed yourself willingly, and they bound you and threw you into prison, where the devil appeared to you, gnashing his teeth in anger, but the following night the Lord appeared to you, strengthened you, untied your bonds, opened the prison doors, and set you free, and we who pray to you praise you:
Rejoice, for you went again among the people, preaching;
Rejoice, for you spoke boldly to them about Christ;
Rejoice, for some with hardened hearts were angry with you;
Rejoice, for they wanted to lay their murderous hands on you;
Rejoice, for the earth opened up and swallowed them all;
Rejoice, for those who remained repented and asked for baptism;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 7
Leaving Christian order in Macedonia, you returned to Judea, to your lot, and speaking from house to house, you turned many to God, performing many miracles, bringing the dying back to life, healing the blind, the deaf, the mute, the lepers, the lame, and casting out demons from people with the Holy Name of the Lord: Alleluia!
Ikos 7
You spoke to them of Moses as a saint and commanded them to keep the Law he received from God on tablets, and you taught them to believe in Christ, the One foretold by the prophets before Moses through signs and prophecies, and the multitude honored you:
Rejoice, for you brought them the news of the fulfillment of the prophecies;
Rejoice, for you spoke to them of the Most Holy Virgin Mary;
Rejoice, for you impressed upon them the veneration of the Mother of God;
Rejoice, for you explained to them what was written by the ancients about the coming of the Messiah;
Rejoice, for you assured them that He is the One awaited by the Scriptures;
Rejoice, for you told them everything as it was, in Truth;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 8
But the first among the Jewish high priests, named Ananias, who was a great hater and blasphemer of the Name of Jesus Christ, persecutor of Christians and guilty of the death of Saint James, the kinsman of the Lord, who was thrown from the wing of the temple and killed by his command, that Ananias demanded that you be arrested and brought to him, Holy Matthias, because he did not worship the True God: Alleluia!
Ikos 8
And as you passed through the regions of Galilee, walking among the Jewish assemblies and preaching Christ, the Son of God, the Jews, blinded by wickedness and sent by Ananias, bound you in anger and took you to Jerusalem:
Rejoice, for they brought you before the Sanhedrin, to the temple, a cunning Jewish spectacle;
Rejoice, for the high priest reviled you greatly;
Rejoice, for he poured out all the venom of his heart;
Rejoice, for his mind wandered in the thoughts of the devil;
Rejoice, for he accused you of heresy against the law of Moses;
Rejoice, for the reproach that fell on the Saviour also fell upon you as well;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 9
You defended the New Law, that of Love in Christ the Lord, speaking of the fulfillment of the prophecies, interpreting the Jewish books and presenting them with their own teachings from the books of Scripture, for the Holy Spirit spoke through you: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
But Ananias, having a hardened heart, told you that he would put you to death for what you professed, promising you mercy if you changed your mind, and you, Saint Matthias, replied: “Let me not depart from the truth that I have once found. Jesus of Nazareth, whom you rejected and put to death, I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that He is truly the Son of God, equal with the Father, of one essence with Him, and before all ages; and I say that I am a servant of Christ!”
Rejoice, for the high priest condemned you to death;
Rejoice, for he commanded that you be stoned to death;
Rejoice, for they took you outside the city;
Rejoice, for they brought two witnesses according to the law;
Rejoice, for they laid their hands on your head, saying that you had blasphemed;
Rejoice, for they were the first to throw stones at you;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 10
When the others began to throw stones, you raised your hands to heaven, Saint Matthias, and gave up your soul, praying to God, and the Jews cut off your head with an axe according to Roman custom, so that they could justify your killing to the Roman authorities, falsely claiming that you were an enemy of Caesar, for they did not want to recognize Christ as the Son of God: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
Thus, Saint Matthias, you ran the race of life, bearing good fruits of faith, serving Christ first as a disciple and then as an Apostle, and striving with good labor you ended the length of your earthly days, and we who still live in the desert of passions and sins pray to you thus:
Rejoice, giver of heavenly light;
Rejoice, guide to good thoughts;
Rejoice, delivering us from the night of vanity;
Rejoice, dispeller of the darkness of unbelief;
Rejoice, healer of doubt;
Rejoice, pillar of faith;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 11
Taking your apostolic body, the faithful buried it with honor, and it was later found by the Holy Empress Helena and honored according to your holiness, for God raised you to the rank of Heavenly Apostle, having great boldness at His Throne: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
God has brought you to the knowledge of eternal life, and on earth you appear as a horse that disturbs the bitter gatherings of the servants of idols, scattering their plots and shaming all the iniquities of the servants of darkness, therefore we humbly cry out to you:
Rejoice, you who open the hearts of the foolish;
Rejoice, you who make the true faith shine forth;
Rejoice, you who are a barrier against the attacks of demons;
Rejoice, guardian of our life;
Rejoice, you who kindle the flame of prayer;
Rejoice, you who breathe on it with grace, that it may multiply;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 12
You completed the blessed group of the twelve Apostles and were sent into the world as a divine gift, Saint Matthias, so that through your sweet teachings you might cleanse the defilement of deception, driving away the weaknesses of souls and bodies through the call of God: Alleluia!
Ikos 12
Through prayer and humility of heart, you united yourself with Christ the Lord by grace, and receiving from Him the rays of the first work, you enlightened the faithful and washed the world from the darkness of idol worship, so that the nations might glorify you as best they could:
Rejoice, you who are worthy of all the prophecies of the holy prophets;
Rejoice, for you have made yourself a seer;
Rejoice, for you give us this gift according to our worthiness;
Rejoice, for you bring down into our minds the Light that shows the Light;
Rejoice, for you heal our eyes and open our souls to flight;
Rejoice, follower of the One who was long ago proclaimed—Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 13
Holy Apostle Matthias, fulfiller of the Council of the Holy Apostles, you who are good and have replaced the evil one, hear these prayers and intercede with God to fulfill in our lives the good things that are lacking, remove the thorn of betrayal and dishonor and replace it with the joy of those worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, so that, saved from all sin, we may rejoice forever: Alleluia!
This Kontakion is said 3 times.
Ikos 1
Rising as a chosen branch from the True Vine of Heaven, growing as a fruitful vine and producing the saving wine, you became like the Angels in your behavior, being a skilled tool of the Lord for the enlightenment of the peoples, who, receiving from you the knowledge of the Kingdom of God in deed and Word, glorified you thus:
Rejoice, opening the depths of ignorance;
Rejoice, Apostle worthy of wonder;
Rejoice, taking away the spoils of unclean spirits;
Rejoice, through whom the Council of the 12 Apostles was fulfilled;
Rejoice, chosen by the Holy Spirit, the Comforter;
Rejoice, for you spoke in tongues, receiving the Tongues of Fire;
Rejoice, Saint Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Kontakion 1
To him who loved the Savior, serving Him with body and soul until his death, who completed the holy group of twelve of the first Apostles called, we honor Saint Matthias the Apostle. And you, Holy Matthias, whom the Holy Spirit chose and descended upon you in the form of tongues of fire, becoming God’s spokesman, hear these praises and fulfill our prayers, we who call upon you: Rejoice , Holy Apostle Matthias, bring us to the knowledge of the truth and overcome all devilish deception!
Prayer:
Holy Apostle Matthias, called “friend” by the Savior, you who served Him in deed and word and died for Him so that you might rise with Him forever, becoming an heir to Heaven, accept these praises from us sinners and lead us to the harbor of rest and the perfect desire of our souls.
You who now stand before the Holy Trinity together with the company of the Holy Apostles, pray also for us that God may send down upon our hearts the tongues of fire of the Holy Spirit, to burn away the seals of impurity and break down the door of hardness, shining light where darkness reigned and making us His blessed home.
Burn away the deceit of the cunning and put to flight the sorcerers and enchanters who whisper devilish whispers in secret, shut their mouths forever so that we may live freely in the Spirit of the Lord, pray unhindered, and lift up our hearts to the Highest Heaven, where you sing with the Seraphim the glory of God, now and forever and ever. Amen.
