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. Click here for more Akathists to early Christian martyrs. Click here for more Akathists to saints who especially intercede for marriages, families, and children.
Orthodox Saint Timothy and his wife, Saint Mavra (also spelled Maura), were a newly married Christian couple who were martyred in Egypt in 286 AD under the pagan governor Arianos, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. They are celebrated for their incredible faith and mutual devotion. More information about their joint martyrdom is found below the Akathist, along with more icons of the blessed couple.
Feast Day: May 3
Troparion, Tone 4
For you, who by mutual consent were separated from one another for a time, having been crucified for the confession of Christ before the unbelievers, the Bridegroom of your souls has now made you inseparable, receiving you into His glory. To Him, Saints Timothy and Mavra, pray earnestly for us, who, looking upon the example of your life, are moved by the Spirit to follow you.
Kontakion 1
God, Who gathers the scattered, chose you, uniting you through the divine ordinance of Christian marriage, and remaining faithful to the end to Him in Whom there is no change or shadow of turning, you are an example to us, for you joined together to do His will. For this we sing to you: Rejoice, Saints Timothy and Mavra, who are sweetened by your heavenly wedding!
Ikos 1
“Two are happier together than one, for if one falls, the other lifts him up. But woe to the one who falls alone and has no second to lift him up”—so says the Ecclesiastes. Therefore, to you, Saint Timothy, ever the guide of your wife, we say:
Rejoice, bridegroom pleasing to God;
Rejoice, for your mind and heart have been alert at all times;
Rejoice, for God has crowned you for the sweat of your labor;
Rejoice, for you have overthrown the cunning of the enemy of our salvation;
Rejoice, much-tried youth;
Rejoice, servant of the Church through reading;
Rejoice, for the Holy Spirit finds delight in you;
Rejoice, first fruits of Christ’s new people;
Rejoice, for the very name of Christian caused your martyrdom;
Rejoice, manhood praised by God;
Rejoice, friend of the saints in the days of your earthly life;
Rejoice, for they welcomed you well when you departed from this deceitful world;
Rejoice, Saint Timothy, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 2
Learning from Holy Scripture that God said, “It is not good for man to be alone,” and that His Son poured out wondrous gifts at Cana in Galilee, and that the Holy Spirit unites those who love one another, you longed for a union pleasing to Him, and for this purpose the virgin Mavra was given to you, with whom, praising God, you sang: Alleluia!
Ikos 2
“What women the Christians have!” cried the pagans, marveling at their strength in the face of the most dreadful tortures. You did not prove yourself inferior, Saint Mavra, and so we dare to say with reverence:
Rejoice, bride pleasing to God;
Rejoice, flower grown under the rays of Christ the Sun;
Rejoice, chosen virgin in the Bridegroom’s procession;
Rejoice, for your hands were sanctified by holding the Holy Cross;
Rejoice, clothed in a fitting manner;
Rejoice, maiden who puts to shame those who are gray-haired but lacking in wisdom;
Rejoice, companion of your husband in good deeds;
Rejoice, listener to Timothy in the end;
Rejoice, for the governor frightened you with widowhood;
Rejoice, for you overcame it through shared suffering;
Rejoice, beauty unseen by the insensitive;
Rejoice, faithfulness hidden in the heart;
Rejoice, Saint Mavra, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 3
The devil suffers a great wound, for in the new law the grace of Christ strengthens the weakest nature of women, and they put to shame our bodiless enemy. Taking note of these victories, we offer a song to God: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
“No one gives their children to death!” you cried out, unwilling to reveal the holy books entrusted to you. We rejoice in your care and say to you:
Rejoice, servant of the Word of God;
Rejoice, defender of Holy Scripture;
Rejoice, for you did not grieve the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, for He spoke to the ears of your heart;
Rejoice, skilled worker of spiritual things;
Rejoice, fulfiller of what you preached;
Rejoice, for you did not give the holy things to the dogs;
Rejoice, for because of this your eyes were gouged out;
Rejoice, for despite the harsh trials, your mouth did not speak worldly things;
Rejoice, for you rejoiced in being punished in this world;
Rejoice, for through the eyes of salvation you received heavenly things;
Rejoice, for you weep bitterly over our gaze upon what is unseemly;
Rejoice, Holy Timothy, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 4
The children of Christians are holy, for they enter the world through the door of Baptism; holy are also your books, Timothy, which you cherished as your own children. To God, Who watched over you as you read from them, we offer praise: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
For but a moment embracing evil thoughts, you heeded the Arian punisher, and without consulting your husband, swayed by his torments, you perfumed yourself and adorned yourself unseemly. He, disgusted not by you but by the scents harmful to the soul, rebuked you harshly yet with boundless love, and heeding him, we praise you, saying:
Rejoice, for the rose of your life had seventeen petals when you suffered;
Rejoice, for you had a strong support in your husband’s prayers;
Rejoice, for the fear of God dispelled your fear of the multitude of labors;
Rejoice, for you quickly understood the cause of your husband’s sorrow;
Rejoice, for his love moved you, and not the harshness of his words;
Rejoice, for you have turned away from the darkness of sin;
Rejoice, for the enemy’s thought has perished like wax before the fire;
Rejoice, you who strongly rebuked the pagan named Arian;
Rejoice, you who exposed his deception;
Rejoice, for you have adorned your spirit with gentleness and peace;
Rejoice, for the fragrance of your soul was pleasing to God;
Rejoice, for in this way the holy women adorned themselves;
Rejoice, Saint Mavra, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 5
You knew well how to give an answer for your hope, blessed Mavra, so that the pagans believed your husband had bewitched you, but he, penetrating the enemy’s snares, enlightened you so that you would not be deprived of the worthiness of the angelic song: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
Christ Himself spoke through the divine Scriptures that it is not lawful for man to separate what God has joined together, and Saint Timothy, by the power of the Holy Spirit, destroyed the vanity of the idols worshiped by the pagans, snatching his wife from the snare of the one who sought to separate them, for which reason we will praise him:
Rejoice, for you did not wish to enter the kingdom alone;
Rejoice, for you labored to bring your wife with you;
Rejoice, for at that hour your neighbor was Saint Mavra;
Rejoice, for it is more blessed to give than to receive;
Rejoice, for God has enriched you with such a maiden;
Rejoice, for she had never exchanged a word with anyone else before you;
Rejoice, for she had never sat at a table with anyone else;
Rejoice, for you knew yourself to be indebted for such a gift;
Rejoice, for through your labor you sought to multiply the gift;
Rejoice, for you saw beforehand the crown prepared for you by the angels;
Rejoice, intercessor for those who wish to follow you;
Rejoice, for death has brought you closer to us;
Rejoice, Saint Timothy, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 6
You spent the Lord’s Day in a pure life, truly resting from the working of every sin, for this is required of those who administer the mysteries of God, Who accepts our bloodless sacrifices and our song: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
Send us, Holy Mavra, a turning away from those most hateful habits, just as you, when the gag was removed from Timothy’s mouth and he spoke to you, cast aside the key with which the enemy sought to turn your heart back to the world. Thus, having freed yourself from worldly passion, you received the Holy Spirit Who strengthened you, and He urges us to sing of your victory thus:
Rejoice, good steward of your life;
Rejoice, thought ever bound to your husband, Timothy;
Rejoice, for you submitted to him as to the Lord;
Rejoice, shield of those who follow you;
Rejoice, ceaseless search for the one with whom you journeyed;
Rejoice, for you have forsaken the fleeting and vain things of this world;
Rejoice, for you have secured the forgiveness of sins through martyrdom;
Rejoice, heart tested like gold in the crucible;
Rejoice, for your trials have served to clarify your faith;
Rejoice, for the Holy Spirit breathed upon you;
Rejoice, for He poured out upon you like oil;
Rejoice, for all the blessings of this world were bestowed upon you;
Rejoice, Saint Mavra, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 7
Seeing that your innocent husband was suffering, you wanted to sell your bridal gown, your gold, and your wedding ornaments, believing that he had incurred a great debt. But you came to your senses and now counsel all that our duty is to present ourselves as living, holy, and blameless sacrifices before God and to give Him thanks forever, singing: Alleluia!
Ikos 7
You proved yourself a worshiper of God by your calling; therefore, you gained boldness in prayer when your wife confessed her weakness. God accepted the incense of your prayer; make us, too, worthy of His mercy, after we have praised you thus:
Rejoice, for you followed Abraham in faith;
Rejoice, for you followed Joachim in perseverance;
Rejoice, for you fulfilled Paul’s mission;
Rejoice, for Christ calls the whole Church to His glory;
Rejoice, for you too called your wife to the struggle;
Rejoice, for she followed you without hesitation;
Rejoice, for you did not wish to be separated in martyrdom;
Rejoice, for your faithfulness to the union of one soul;
Rejoice, for the raging waves cry out for a helmsman;
Rejoice, for prayer guided your life;
Rejoice, for labor and prayer were the lifeline of your life;
Rejoice, for your lamp did not go out;
Rejoice, Saint Timothy, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 8
Just as long ago the angel Raphael taught Tobit to rise in prayer for Sarah, who was destined for him from of old, and holding a branch of myrtle in his hand to drive away the demon that saddened her on her wedding night, so too, Saint Timothy, you were strengthened by an angel in prayer for Mavra, to whom your soul was deeply attached, and seeing her strengthened by the grace of God, you rejoiced with the song: Alleluia!
Ikos 8
Our spirit rejoices in you, Holy Mavra, when we see your transformation through the Holy Spirit, as you rebuke the one who urged you to deceive your husband and sought to cast your soul into perdition through gold; but you, armed with the weapons of Christ the Lord, have triumphed, for which hear these praises:
Rejoice, skilled wielder of spiritual weapons;
Rejoice, fortified with the truth of God;
Rejoice, clothed in the breastplate of righteousness;
Rejoice, for you have girded yourself for the preaching of Christ;
Rejoice, for you have destroyed the arrows of the evil one with the shield of faith;
Rejoice, for your word was the sword of the Spirit;
Rejoice, for even the hairs of our heads are numbered by God;
Rejoice, for in confessing Him before all, your hair was torn out;
Rejoice, for you had protection from above;
Rejoice, for the sake of Him who formed you with His hand, your fingers were cut off;
Rejoice, mocking the one who could only harm your body;
Rejoice, for as he passed by, your soul blossomed within;
Rejoice, Saint Mavra, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 9
After the baptismal font of Christian baptism, a basin of hot water has been prepared for you, Saint Mavra, but the warmth of the Holy Spirit poured into you at your second birth burned even more fiercely, so that you were unharmed, and having gained a pure heart through the renewal of Baptism, you gave thanks to God, the wonderful One among the saints: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
Through you, Saint Timothy, she who followed you in all things was called to these labors; now she, stepping into view, and you praying in silence, we say to you:
Rejoice, long-practiced in prayer;
Rejoice, for your custom has not remained hidden from us;
Rejoice, fervent advocate for salvation;
Rejoice, for you have kept the law of Christ;
Rejoice, for blessed sorrow has overwhelmed you;
Rejoice, for the Spirit has taught you to share in the sufferings of others;
Rejoice, for you raised your holy hands everywhere;
Rejoice, for because of this they were filled with gifts from above;
Rejoice, for through them you bestowed timely and necessary blessings;
Rejoice, wise one who turned your silence to good use;
Rejoice, for you spiritually beheld the torments of Saint Mavra, though your eyes were gouged out;
Rejoice, for you marveled at the strength of her faith;
Rejoice, Saint Timothy, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 10
You were married, yet you sought to please not the world but the Lord, for when you heard the blessed Paul ask, “What do you know, husband, if you will save your wife?” this became a saving concern of your life, finding its reward in the courts of God, Whom we praise together with you: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
Through your deeds, your power from Christ was revealed, Holy Martyr Mavra, when, after your hair was torn out, your fingers were cut off, and you were plunged into boiling water, the devil entered the heart of the pagan, who by his deeds was heartless, wanting to fill your mouth with burning coals; for this, we surround you with these praises:
Rejoice, for the pagan became an instrument of your joy;
Rejoice, for the remembrance of Christ’s name drove him mad;
Rejoice, for you followed the prophet Isaiah;
Rejoice, for the old has passed away and all things have become new;
Rejoice, our coal of the pure, urging us to share in Christ;
Rejoice, for Christ has prepared for you His glory and angelic songs;
Rejoice, for He has cleansed you of all sin;
Rejoice, for the burning of the torch brings you joy;
Rejoice, for you rebuke us when the fire of our tongues sets the forests ablaze;
Rejoice, for we look upon you as a torch of understanding;
Rejoice, for you kindle our cold piety;
Rejoice, life-giver to those frozen in lawlessness;
Rejoice, Saint Mavra, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 11
Hearing that Saint Timothy was the cause of your refusal to sacrifice to the gods, the governor was angered and decided to crucify you both on the cross, one facing the other, to drive you into the abyss of despair, but you joined your voices in praising God with great joy: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
So angelic was your brief earthly sojourn that even the days you spent crucified on the cross were like the number of the bodiless hosts. You proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes again in glory; therefore, first with you, Saint Timothy, we praise Him, saying:
Rejoice, good steward of your life;
Rejoice, for you have attained a fitting end;
Rejoice, counselor to your wife from morning till night;
Rejoice, for through the cross the power of God has filled you;
Rejoice, for in the crucifixion of the flesh’s desires you are our teacher;
Rejoice, for through the eyes of the mind you saw Jesus Christ crucified;
Rejoice, for you were crucified with Christ and your life was His;
Rejoice, for you signify the nailing of the old man;
Rejoice, disciple obedient unto death on the cross;
Rejoice, for you follow the repentant thief into paradise;
Rejoice, exhortation to take up the cross daily in spirit;
Rejoice, receiver of the insatiable spiritual food;
Rejoice, Saint Timothy, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 12
Let us strive to know our own lawlessness, for sin lies before us in all things; therefore, Christ nailed to the cross the charge written against us. But woe to those who, through sin, crucify the Son of God a second time and do not know how to glorify God unceasingly with the hymn: Alleluia!
Ikos 12
You did not rely on your own wisdom, Saint Mavra, but on your hope in the Lord, to whom you clung unwaveringly. As the hour drew near for you to give your soul to God, He granted you one more trial, and having overcome, you were rewarded to know through the angel’s announcement the truth of God concerning the shared passion and crowning—news which, having reached us as well, we honor you with worthiness:
Rejoice, companion of Timothy in the suffering of the cross;
Rejoice, for in the crucifixion you proved yourself a worthy companion;
Rejoice, for you possessed clarity of mind until the end;
Rejoice, you who counseled your husband from evening until morning;
Rejoice, for twice you drove away the enemy in the guise of light;
Rejoice, for God provided for your sustenance;
Rejoice, for you desired the Canaan of grace, not the earthly one where milk and honey flow;
Rejoice, for you awaited the cup of death from Christ;
Rejoice, for He showed you, O wonderful woman, the eternal reward;
Rejoice, for He Himself raised you up to see the higher glory of your husband;
Rejoice, for his counsel brought you salvation;
Rejoice, for in Christ, neither is a woman without a husband, nor a man without a wife;
Rejoice, Holy Mavra, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 13
O Holy Martyrs Timothy and Mavra, we marvel at God’s plan for you, for twenty days after your Christian union you were called to the heavenly wedding, entering the Bridegroom’s adorned chamber through the narrow gate of the nine days of being crucified together, one before the other. Teach us, too, the art of friendship that is forged in trials and sufferings for Christ, to whom we sing together with you: Alleluia! (
This Kontakion is said three times.
Then again Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1:
Ikos 1
“Two are happier together than one, for if one falls, the other lifts him up. But woe to the one who falls alone and has no second to lift him up”—so says the Ecclesiastes. Therefore, to you, Saint Timothy, ever the guide of your wife, we say:
Rejoice, bridegroom pleasing to God;
Rejoice, for your mind and heart have been alert at all times;
Rejoice, for God has crowned you for the sweat of your labor;
Rejoice, for you have overthrown the cunning of the enemy of our salvation;
Rejoice, much-tried youth;
Rejoice, servant of the Church through reading;
Rejoice, for the Holy Spirit finds delight in you;
Rejoice, firstfruits of Christ’s new people;
Rejoice, for the very name of Christian caused your martyrdom;
Rejoice, manhood praised by God;
Rejoice, friend of the saints in the days of your earthly life;
Rejoice, for they welcomed you well when you departed from this deceitful world;
Rejoice, Saint Timothy, follower of Christ!
Kontakion 1
God, Who gathers the scattered, chose you, uniting you through the divine ordinance of Christian marriage, and remaining faithful to the end to Him in Whom there is no change or shadow of turning, you are an example to us, for you joined together to do His will. For this we sing to you: Rejoice, Saints Timothy and Mavra, who are sweetened by your heavenly wedding!
PRAYER TO SAINTS TIMOTHY AND MAVRA:
O long-suffering ones, whom God has empowered with His grace, Holy Martyrs Timothy and Mavra, you have become the cause of one another’s salvation. Look upon this offering of praise and thanksgiving, as well as the unworthy petition we bring before you, for having fought and conquered, and having found the blessed end of the narrow path, you now rejoice in the breadth of heaven; strengthen those who are still struggling along the way. We wish to leave behind the well-trodden paths of our past sins; we unite in this thought, two and three, and hope to be heard by God, through your intercession. When the house of our soul is shaken by sin, which turns the stone foundation into slippery sand, run swiftly and do not allow our perdition. The beautiful icon of your wise life is revealed to our souls and to our pure eyes, accustomed to seeking what is proper. Rejoice, for God has made your hearts like fertile soil; pray to Him that He may work in our hearts as well, to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance. Amen.
SOURCE: https://www.crestinortodox.ro/acatiste/acatistul-sfintilor-timotei-mavra-145529.html
5 MIRACLES OF SAINTS TIMOTHY AND MAVRA: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2012/05/5-miracles-of-saints-timothy-and-mavra.html
STS. TIMOTHY AND MAVRA SAVE IOANNIS KAPODISTRIAS: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2012/05/sts-timothy-and-mavra-save-ioannis.html
THE MIRACULOUS ICON OF SAINT MAVRA IN ZAKYNTHOS: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/05/miraculous-icon-of-st-mavra-in.html
TO BE REMEMBERED: The martyrdom of Saint Timothy the Martyr and his very young wife, Mavra. THE DEVIL TEMPTED HER EVEN AFTER 9 DAYS OF CRUCIFIXION …
(…)
The governor, overcome by the Holy Martyr’s responses—demonstrated through her very actions—and unable to devise any harsher torments for her, was greatly distressed. He therefore ordered that both Timothy and Mavra be crucified, placing them upright, one facing the other. And as they were being led to the crucifixion, Mavra’s mother met them, and, seizing her daughter, cried out, saying: “My daughter, Mavra, is this how you leave your mother, who is searching for you? Who will wear your finery? Whose will the precious garments, the silver, and the gold be, if you, my daughter, are no longer among the living?” Saint Mavra replied to her mother, saying: “Gold and silver perish, clothes are eaten by moths, and the beauty of a young face grows old and fades with time, but the crown of Jesus Christ is imperishable forever.”
Her mother could not reply to the saint’s words. And the martyr, breaking free from her mother’s grasp, went toward the cross, saying to her: “Why do you pull me away from the Cross, not letting me be comforted sooner by my Lord, in the likeness of His death?” Then the soldiers crucified them, placing them face to face. And they spent nine days and nine nights on the cross, comforting and advising one another. Saint Timothy taught his wife until evening, and Mavra advised her fellow sufferer until morning.
And the blessed Mavra said to Saint Timothy: “Let us not fall asleep, lest our Lord come and find us sleeping, and be angry with us. For, when a man is awake in his house, the burning candle drives away the invading thieves; but when the candle is extinguished, the thief easily enters the house and steals. Therefore, let us not sleep, but let us strive in prayer, that our Lord may find us in unceasing patience and expectation of His coming, and the enemy will not dare to approach secretly and tempt us who are on the cross.”
And again, after a while, Saint Mavra said to Saint Timothy: “Awake, my brother, cast sleep from you and keep watch, that you may learn what I have seen. For I saw a man standing before me in amazement, holding in his hands a cup filled with milk and honey, saying to me: ‘Take this and drink it.’ And I said to him: ‘Who are you?’ He answered me, “I am the angel of God.” Then I said to him, “Let us pray to God!” But he said to me, “I have come to you out of mercy, seeing that you are hungry and thirsty and have been fasting until this hour.”
Then I said to him again: “Who sent you to me with this undeserved mercy, and why do you care about my patience and fasting? Do you not know that God grants even the impossible to those who pray to Him?” Having said this, I began to pray. While I was praying, I saw that man who had appeared to me with the cup, turning his face away from me toward the west, and immediately I knew that it was the enemy’s illusion, who, even on the cross, seeks to tempt us. And that illusion vanished.
Then another one came, and it seemed to me that he had led me to a stream flowing with milk and honey, and he said to me, “Drink!” And I replied: “I have already told you that I will not drink water, nor any other earthly drink, until I drink the cup of death for Christ, my Lord, which He alone will give to me, through the salvation and immortality of eternal life.” When I said this, the man who had commanded me to drink from the river immediately perished along with the river.
After that, a third man stood before me, wonderful to behold, whose face shone like the sun. He took me by the hand, lifted me up to heaven, and showed me an ornate throne, upon which were laid white garments and a most beautiful crown. And I, marveling at that beauty, asked the one who was leading me: “Whose are these, Lord?” He answered me: “These are the rewards for your struggles! The garments, the crown, and this throne are prepared for you.” Then, lifting me a little higher, he showed me another similarly adorned throne, a white garment, and a crown. And I asked him again: “But whose are these?” And he answered me: “These belong to your husband, Timothy.” And again I dared to ask him: “Why are the thrones so far apart from one another?” And he answered me: “There is a great difference between you and your husband. Do you not know that, following his counsel, you too have entered into the ascetic struggle, and that is the reason for your crowning? Therefore, return now to your body, and tomorrow at the sixth hour the angels of God will come to take your souls and raise them to heaven. But stay awake, lest the enemy begin to tempt you again.”
Saint Mavra shared these visions with her brother, Timothy, with whom she found comfort in the Lord. And when that day arrived and the sixth hour came, the angel of God came to take the souls of the martyrs. And Saint Mavra said to the people who were watching their suffering: “Brothers and sisters, remember that we have done what is human, living among people. And again we have done what is of God, being His servants. And now, we receive the imperishable crowns from our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, as you also do what is of human nature, strive likewise to do what is pleasing to God, so that you may obtain forgiveness of sins and receive crowns from our same Lord.” As Saint Mavra spoke these words, both of them immediately gave up their souls into the hands of God, and thus they ended their martyrdom with a good course, in Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
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