For all Akathists published on our site, click here. This Akathist was contributed by Maxim, who kindly asks all Orthodox Christians to keep him in their prayers for his repentance. See bottom for original source. Explore more prayer: Early Christian Martyrs, Saints of the Gospel
Feast Day October 16
Troparion of Saint Longinus the Martyr, Tone 4
Your martyr, O Lord, Longinus, through his struggle, received from You, our God, the crown of incorruption; for, having Your power, he defeated his tormentors; he crushed the demons’ futile attempts. Through his prayers, save our souls, Christ our God.
Kontakion of the Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion, Tone 4
Rejoicing, the Church rejoices today, in the honorable commemoration of the patient-sufferer, the Holy Martyr Longinus, singing: You are my Strength, Christ, and my Fortification.
Kontakion 1
Chosen by God from among the pagans, Holy Martyr Longinus, you were present at the Crucifixion of the Lord Christ and at His Resurrection on the third day, receiving confirmation of His divinity before the Holy Apostle Thomas, and for Him you sacrificed your life. You who now rejoice with the Holy Martyrs in Heaven, look upon us sinners who call upon you in prayer: Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
Ikos 1
The wonderful angels in Heaven rejoice over you, Holy Martyr Longinus, as one who has gained a place among the ranks of the Archangels of God, for you were a pagan soldier but became a Christian and an apostle of the Gospel of Christ, and we pray to you with these humble words to have mercy on us:
Rejoice, earthly angel full of love;
Rejoice, glory of the faithful soldiers;
Rejoice, light of the Jews and Romans in Jerusalem and Cappadocia;
Rejoice, highest sanctification of the sacrifice;
Rejoice, for you defend us from the schemes of our enemies;
Rejoice, protector of those blind in spirit;
Rejoice, bringing at the right time the understanding of the divine mysteries;
Rejoice, receiving us too into the army of Christ’s warriors;
Rejoice, guide of prayer to Heaven;
Rejoice, assurance in the Holy Trinity;
Rejoice, the first among the pagans through faith and love;
Rejoice, heart that trembled with longing for God;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
Kontakion 2
Chosen by God from among the soldiers, you who received the human rank of centurion—that is, commander of a hundred soldiers—you served in the Roman army, Holy Martyr Longinus, being subject to Pilate and, above him, to Caesar. But God did not let you serve only men, but brought you through pure deeds and thoughts to His true service, which bears the fruits of eternal life, and you received this with joy, crying out to Him: Alleluia!
Ikos 2
You met the Savior Christ before His Passion, Holy Martyr Longinus, interceding for your dearest servant who lay at home, mortally ill. You asked Jesus Christ to speak just one word so that your servant might be healed, and He granted your prayer, amazed by the faith He found in a pagan, greater even than that of the Jewish people, and we praise you with these words:
Rejoice, you who said that you were not worthy for the Lord Christ to enter under your roof;
Rejoice, believing in His miracle-working Word;
Rejoice, knowing in your heart that the Word alone has the power to raise the dead;
Rejoice, endless humility and gentleness;
Rejoice, for the office of ruling over men did not cloud your judgment;
Rejoice, for the goodness of your soul was great;
Rejoice, you who loved your servant dearly;
Rejoice, for you were certain that Christ also loves you;
Rejoice, for out of this love you drew near to Him with humility;
Rejoice, and draw us also near to God in prayer;
Rejoice, you who cut through our unbelief like the cherubic sword of Eden;
Rejoice, for through this you deliver us from the temptation of akedia;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
Kontakion 3
To Saint Longinus, who witnessed the miracles performed by the Savior on earth, we bow down and place our hope in the intercession of his prayers before the Throne of the Lord God: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
When the time came for the dreadful Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, you were placed by your superiors, Holy Martyr Longinus, to stand at the foot of His Holy Cross upon which He was crucified, seeing with your own eyes the wonders wrought by Christ on the Cross—namely, the earthquake and the sun turning to darkness, the tombs opening, the dead rising, and the rocks splitting. Then, filled with faith and grieved by His death, you exclaimed: “Truly, this was the Son of God!” and we call upon you with sorrow in our hearts:
Rejoice, you who were present at the Passion of the Lord Christ;
Rejoice, you who wept with sorrow;
Rejoice, for you saw the One who had given life to your servant passing away;
Rejoice, for you knew that He was without sin;
Rejoice, receiving the Will of the Lord with humility and acceptance;
Rejoice, for you did not rebel against the death of Christ the Savior;
Rejoice, for your love for Him has completely enveloped you;
Rejoice, glorifying God at the foot of His Son’s Cross;
Rejoice, confessing Christ as the true Son of God;
Rejoice, for you have placed in our eyes the holy spark of the Divine Light;
Rejoice, for you have brought into us the experience of Christ’s death as a reminder of our own imminent death;
Rejoice, for you have given us hope in the resurrection at His saving right hand;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, for granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
Kontakion 4
Though you had the worldly power to oppose the crucifixion of Jesus Christ through shouting and the sword, you did not do so, Holy Martyr Longinus, having in your heart the faith that He is God Who knows all things, can do all things, and does all things according to His justice and Will so that Scripture might be fulfilled, and you stood by the Cross watching Him die, yet knowing from the love that united you with Him that this was not the end, but the beginning of true life for the faithful, and your voice cried out to Him unceasingly: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
“Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit!” said the Savior on the Cross, and you, Holy Martyr Longinus, shaken by grief, fulfilled what was ordained for you: You pierced His side with a spear, and blood and water flowed forth as a sign of the death of Him who had come to give eternal life to those destined for destruction. But this sign was a blessing for you, Holy Longinus, for the blood and water flowed onto your sick eyes, healing them. We worship the Holy Passion of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we call upon you, O Saint, with great love:
Rejoice, standing at the foot of the Savior’s Cross until the end;
Rejoice, trembling with pain but strengthened by love;
Rejoice, you whose soul is warm and whose eyes are full of kindness;
Rejoice, you whose hands are secretly clasped in prayer;
Rejoice, you whose feet are planted on the ground watered by tears;
Rejoice, for though you were overwhelmed by grief, you did not forsake your Lord;
Rejoice, prayer through which you cleanse the impurity within us;
Rejoice, comforter of those who weep for the loss of their loved ones;
Rejoice, for you bring them the hope of reuniting with them in eternal Paradise;
Rejoice, you who were deemed worthy of the blessing of healing your sick eyes;
Rejoice, and grant us also the healing of our physical and spiritual eyes;
Rejoice, as you also quench our thirst from the great Mercy of God;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, as you grant us the grace of spiritual sight!
Kontakion 5
When the Life-giving Body of Christ the Savior was buried, you were assigned to guard His tomb along with many soldiers, Holy Martyr Longinus. While it was night, the Lord, with great glory, rose from the tomb, and by His wondrous rising He terrified the guards, and the angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, rolled away the stone from the tomb, and at the sight of him the guards trembled and fell as though dead, and we marvel at these things and cry out to our Savior: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
Then, Holy Martyr Longinus, together with two of your fellow soldiers, you believed completely in Christ and became preachers of His Resurrection, testifying to Pilate and the high priests all that had taken place. We marvel at all these things, and we call upon you:
Rejoice, guardian of Christ, the Life Eternal, who has shattered death and brought salvation;
Rejoice, witness of the Lord’s Resurrection, new Apostle;
Rejoice, participant in the rolling away of the stone from the entrance of the Holy Sepulcher;
Rejoice, rejoice with the power of the Lord’s Angel who destroyed the seals and the schemes of men;
Rejoice, for through this power, the guards became as though dead;
Rejoice, sensing Life emerging from the stone walls;
Rejoice, being reborn in faith on the night of the Lord’s Resurrection;
Rejoice, proclaiming the truth and not a lie to the high priests and Pilate;
Rejoice, for the tears shed at the Crucifixion have been wiped away by the Resurrection;
Rejoice, you who rejoiced like a child at the heavenly comfort;
Rejoice, as blessed wings grew from this joy;
Rejoice, soldier welcomed into the ranks of the Archangels;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
Kontakion 6
The high priests were enraged when they heard of the Lord’s Resurrection from you, Holy Martyr Longinus, and tried at all costs to conceal it, giving the soldiers a great deal of silver to spread the falsehood that “His disciples stole Him away during the night while we were asleep.” But you did not want to be a part of their schemes, Holy Faithful Longinus, but you confessed aloud the miracle that had taken place that night, for your heart cried out ceaselessly to the Risen Christ: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
For this reason the high priests hated you, Holy Martyr Longinus, for all the enmity they had felt toward Jesus Christ they now turned against you, setting out to find a reason to destroy you, but they could not, for you were advanced in years and blameless in conduct, making yourself known to all as a righteous man, even to Caesar. We glorify you for your love of God, and we praise you:
Rejoice, for you did not wish to be a second Judas;
Rejoice, devoted soldier of Christ;
Rejoice, steadfast in word and unshaken in faith;
Rejoice, for you joyfully accepted upon yourself the hatred that was previously directed toward the Savior;
Rejoice, for this strengthened you even more;
Rejoice, proclaiming the miracle of the Resurrection to every corner of the city;
Rejoice, herald of joy for us as well;
Rejoice, lifting us up as well from the despair brought by injustice;
Rejoice, showing us the way and the place where we must be;
Rejoice, for this place, you have shown us, is at the foot of the Cross of Jesus Christ;
Rejoice, instilling in us the assurance of His Resurrection;
Rejoice, dispelling the schemes of the unseen high priests of hell and driving away the schemes of the enemy Pilate;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
Kontakion 7
Desiring to live with Christ the Lord until the end of your life, Holy Martyr Longinus, you abandoned your office, your soldier’s cloak and belt, and taking the two soldiers who had also believed in the Savior God, you received baptism from the Apostles and then departed from Jerusalem, journeying together to Cappadocia, your ancestral land; and along the way, your voices rejoiced in God and you called out to Him with songs: Alleluia!
Ikos 7
You preached God Christ, Holy Longinus, proclaiming the Holy Gospel in every corner of the city of Cappadocia, praising Him who is Risen, testifying from your own experience how He who had died was now Alive, and we worship your power and call upon you with a pure heart:
Rejoice, you who chose the righteous path of salvation;
Rejoice, you who renounced the fleeting world for the eternal one;
Rejoice, through baptism in the Holy Spirit, which restored your heart and soul;
Rejoice, you who open the tombs of thoughts and feelings;
Rejoice, you who, together with the Holy Archangels, drive away the visible and invisible enemies;
Rejoice, you who shatter forever the stone door of all that is not divine;
Rejoice, possessing the power of the double-edged sword of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, shattering the idols and the hardness of heart that prevent us from living in God;
Rejoice, mighty arms with which you lift the stone of the tomb of our salvation;
Rejoice, apostle of the Life of Christ who conquered death;
Rejoice, witness of Christ the Victor over hell;
Rejoice, you who guard our lives and do not let us die unsaved;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, who grants us the grace of spiritual vision!
Kontakion 8
After some time, you left Cappadocia, Holy Martyr Longinus, and went to your father’s village together with the two soldiers, living a life of prayer and fasting. But the high priests had not forgotten you, for you had filled the entire city with the teachings of Christ, and they gave Pilate much gold to slander you before Emperor Tiberius, and he wrote a letter to him, which the Jews sent along with much gold, buying your death, Holy Longinus, for they did not wish to pray to the Risen God: Alleluia!
Ikos 8
Caesar sent a command that you be put to death as his enemy, Holy Longinus, and immediately the soldiers set out for Cappadocia to carry out the command. We pray, O Saint, watch over our souls, grant us patience to endure temptations and strength to overcome them, for we call upon you with love:
Rejoice, holy preacher of the Gospel;
Rejoice, shadow of idol worship;
Rejoice, you who destroy the idolatrous strongholds in our hearts;
Rejoice, you who raise the sword against visible and invisible enemies;
Rejoice, you who wage war against those who bring the madness of unbelief;
Rejoice, you who embrace children persecuted by their parents for Christ’s sake;
Rejoice, wings of the holy martyr, covering with them the bodies and souls crucified by the devil;
Rejoice, you who were persecuted, sold, and betrayed;
Rejoice, for you did not betray Christ;
Rejoice, blessed teacher of His miracles;
Rejoice, enrichment in the Holy Spirit of those who seek Heaven;
Rejoice, bringing deep devotion to prayer and the strength to fast;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
Kontakion 9
When the soldiers learned that you lived in your native village, Holy Martyr Longinus, they sought you out with cunning so that you might not escape their grasp, but you had already been informed by God through prayer that they had come to bestow upon you the martyr’s crown. You welcomed them into your home without telling them who you were, promising that the next day you would summon the one they sought, and they, their tongues loosened by wine, confessed to you the truth of why they had been sent. We tremble at the work of God and cry out to Him with humility: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
You spent the whole night in prayer, Holy Martyr Loghin, just as Christ the Savior prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night He was arrested, knowing, like Him, that the next day you would drink the full cup of martyrdom, but you were not afraid; rather, filled with joy, you awaited the dawn as the final sign of your salvation, and we praise you:
Rejoice, you who were generous and merciful toward your executioners;
Rejoice, for though you knew why they had come, you received them as friends;
Rejoice, seeing them as your benefactors;
Rejoice, unceasing vigil of the heart toward Heaven;
Rejoice, dispelling the sleep of those who pray at night;
Rejoice, driving away temptations from prayer;
Rejoice, awaiting the light of dawn with faith and peace;
Rejoice, you who are at peace in the face of death, knowing that it is the path to reunion with Christ;
Rejoice, calling the two soldiers to you;
Rejoice, proclaiming to them as well the joy of martyrdom;
Rejoice, for all three of you gathered in the name of Christ and prayed to Him;
Rejoice, for He was with you, fulfilling His covenant;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
Kontakion 10
The soldiers backed away, Holy Martyr Longinus, upon learning that morning that you were the one they were seeking, their host; but you urged them to carry out the command, eager to meet Christ the Savior, and you said to them: “You cannot repay me better for my love for you than by sending me quickly to my Lord, Whom I have longed to see,” and in the secret of your heart you prayed to God: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
Giving all your loved ones a final kiss, you put on the white burial robe and bowed your head to the sword, Holy Martyr Longinus, together with the two soldiers who had also believed in the Lord Christ. The soldiers took your holy head and brought it to Pilate, and he threw it into the rubbish heap outside the walls of Jerusalem, and we, with eyes full of tears, call out to you:
Rejoice, you who are clothed in white, awaiting salvation;
Rejoice, for the garment of your soul has been made white through martyrdom;
Rejoice, as you joyfully go to meet the Risen Christ;
Rejoice, having faith that you will have eternal life with Him;
Rejoice, uniting your love with His Love through martyrdom;
Rejoice, and we pray, unite our hearts with God as well;
Rejoice, earthly angel who soared like an eagle to Heaven;
Rejoice, brave soldier of the fleeting world;
Rejoice, valiant warrior of the eternal world;
Rejoice, fighting for us against the soldiers of hell;
Rejoice, bringing us victory when we lose all hope;
Rejoice, you who bring into our hearts the hope of Christ’s victory;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
Kontakion 11
After your martyrdom, a certain widow went to Jerusalem with her firstborn son, Holy Martyr Longinus, desiring to worship at the site of the Holy Passion of Christ, but her son died, and she was distressed, being blind in both eyes and having lost her only support. But God granted her to see you in a vision, telling her about your life and passion, assuring her that her son is with you in the Kingdom of Heaven, and you urged her to go outside the city to search for your holy head in the rubbish, saying, “This has been ordained for your healing,” and she raised hymns to God: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
The woman, comforted in her distress, ran outside the city, rummaging through the rubbish with her hands, and though she saw nothing with her physical eyes, she had great faith in what you said to her in the vision, Holy Martyr Longinus. By God’s providence, she immediately found what she was seeking. Suddenly she saw the light of the sun, for her eyes were opened, and she saw the saint’s head in the rubbish, rejoicing not so much at the light of the sun she saw, but especially at your head, which she found and through which she regained her sight. We glorify you, Holy Longinus, for this miracle, and we cry out to you:
Rejoice, holy one who descended from Heaven to help us;
Rejoice, coming to those in need and distress;
Rejoice, praying also for our healing;
Rejoice, bringer of tidings from God;
Rejoice, one full of goodness and love;
Rejoice, power united with mercy;
Rejoice, bringing us also the sight of the light of the Eternal Sun, God;
Rejoice, opening the eyes of our souls to the glory of Christ the Lord;
Rejoice, healing us from the blindness brought on by passions;
Rejoice, washing the ashes of sin from our sick eyes;
Rejoice, guiding our feet along the path of salvation;
Rejoice, as you join our hands in the secret prayer of the night;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, as you grant us the grace of spiritual sight!
Kontakion 12
The following night, you appeared again to the widow, Holy Martyr Longinus, together with her son dressed in wedding garments, and embracing him as a father, you said to her: “Do you see the one for whom you grieve? Behold, woman, your son; behold the honor and glory in which he now dwells; look upon him and take comfort, for God has numbered him among the heavenly hosts who dwell in His Kingdom; and I have now received him from the Savior, and he will never be separated from me. And take my head and the body of your son and place them in a reliquary. Do not weep any longer for your son, nor let your heart be troubled, for great glory, joy, and endless gladness have been given to him by God.” And the widow wept with joy and faith, for her eyes had seen the light of the Sun and the glory of her son in Heaven, praising God: Alleluia!
Ikos 12
Hearing this, the woman quickly took the body of her dead son and the head of the saint and placed them in a reliquary, burying them together in her ancestral land, and then lived in peace. And we, who still live in this defiled world of passions and sins, pray to you, Holy Martyr Longinus, to look upon us also with your great mercy, and we do not cease to call upon you:
Rejoice, embracing us also with your fatherly arms;
Rejoice, salvation of our souls;
Rejoice, lifting up fervent prayers for the forgiveness of sins;
Rejoice, sharp spear with which you vanquish passions;
Rejoice, with the joy of the Saints filled with the fullness of the Holy Trinity;
Rejoice, solace of widows and mothers who have lost their children;
Rejoice, comfort of their weeping;
Rejoice, bringing good news from Heaven for us;
Rejoice, healing us from troubles, illnesses, and temptations;
Rejoice, revealer of spiritual truth;
Rejoice, you who stood at the foot of the Cross of Christ the Lord;
Rejoice, you who were the first to experience His Resurrection;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
Kontakion 13
O Holy Great Martyr Longinus, as one who now rejoices in the choirs of Heaven and hears the angels singing to God with crystal-clear voices, look upon us who are blinded in body and soul, and bring us the mercy of the Risen Lord Christ, that our eyes may see the light of the Sun of God and our minds may understand the spiritual mysteries, so that through this – sin may no longer swallow us up, that our passions may no longer overwhelm us, and that our visible and invisible enemies may no longer trouble us, that we may rejoice with you and cry out to the Risen Lord: Alleluia!
This Kontakion is sung 3 times.
Ikos 1
The wonderful angels in Heaven rejoice over you, Holy Martyr Longinus, as one who has gained a place among the ranks of the Archangels of God, for you were a pagan soldier but became a Christian and an apostle of the Gospel of Christ, and we pray to you with these humble words to have mercy on us:
Rejoice, earthly angel full of love;
Rejoice, glory of the faithful soldiers;
Rejoice, light of the Jews and Romans in Jerusalem and Cappadocia;
Rejoice, highest sanctification of the sacrifice;
Rejoice, for you defend us from the schemes of our enemies;
Rejoice, protector of those blind in spirit;
Rejoice, bringing at the right time the understanding of the divine mysteries;
Rejoice, receiving us too into the army of Christ’s warriors;
Rejoice, guide of prayer to Heaven;
Rejoice, assurance in the Holy Trinity;
Rejoice, the first among the pagans through faith and love;
Rejoice, heart that trembled with longing for God;
Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
Kontakion 1
Chosen by God from among the pagans, Holy Martyr Longinus, you were present at the Crucifixion of the Lord Christ and at His Resurrection on the third day, receiving confirmation of His divinity before the Holy Apostle Thomas, and for Him you sacrificed your life. You who now rejoice with the Holy Martyrs in Heaven, look upon us sinners who call upon you in prayer: Rejoice, Holy Martyr Longinus, granting us the grace of spiritual vision!
PRAYER
Blessed Saint Longinus, glorious Martyr of God, though a soldier in the earthly army, through your love for the Lord Christ you were deemed worthy of eternal service in the ranks of the Archangels. You who were received into Heaven and crowned by the Savior Himself, you received angelic wings and the sword of light of the Holy Spirit as a reward for your good deeds.
Look down from Heaven upon us, kneeling in prayer, marveling at your life, praying with tears, asking for mercy. We are not worthy of this; we have no right to ask anything of God for ourselves; we do not deserve to lift our eyes to Heaven. We have plunged ourselves into the mire of sin; we have indulged in passions; and now, at this critical hour when we feel the time is approaching to give an account, we are overcome by shivers of fear.
And yet, Saint Longinus, we call upon you as our only help, apart from God and the Mother of God! You understand what pain looks like, for you experienced it fully at the foot of the Cross of the One whom you saw dying even though He was Life. Grant us, too, the gift of reconciliation with God, that we may share with you the joy of His Resurrection in our hearts! We have killed Him again within us through sins and passions! We are guilty a thousand times over, yet we still seek Him, still run to Him, still know Him alone as the saving harbor and bringer of peace. Be our intercessor for our salvation, and pray, O Saint, that the Lord Christ may forgive our wickedness.
Cast away the heaviness that lies upon our eyes! We have become sick and blinded by indifference, unbelief, forgetfulness, and carelessness regarding every thought, deed, or word. We have defiled the garment of our baptism with the stigma of the world in which we live, but we want to lift our eyes to Heaven once more! We want to gaze upon the Light that grants forgiveness, to be nourished by God’s Love, to receive wings of prayer, and to see the Lord’s Resurrection within us every day!
Accept our repentance, Holy Martyr Longinus, and just as you healed the widow’s physical and spiritual eyes, grant us the same healing, for we too seek you and long for you in our lives! And at the end of our earthly journey, come to our side and protect us from the toll-houses of the air; take us to yourself in Heaven just as you took the widow’s son, so that together with you and all the saints we may joyfully sing to Christ God forever in His Kingdom: “Truly, He was the Son of God, is, and will be. His Kingdom is the Kingdom of all ages, and His dominion is over every people and nation, to whom be glory forever.” Amen.
