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: Akathists to Prophets and Old Testament Saints, Patriarchs and Forefathers
Monday of the First Week of Great Lent
Kontakion 1
To him who, throughout his life, foreshadowed our Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Passion, and who resembled the Savior through his spiritual greatness and beauty that transcended the flesh, we offer hymns of praise to the Holy and Righteous Patriarch Joseph, and you, Holy and Blessed One, we pray, intercede with God for us who honor you: Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those received at the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Ikos 1
The Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus the Lord, embodies the beauty that surpasses all men, and gazing upon Him we feel a hunger for the spiritual feast, and you, Saint Joseph, followed Christ to the Golgotha that was to come, you who in the past reflected the future, and the Angels in Heaven rejoiced at the radiance of your conduct, worthy of a partaker of the eternal things in the Kingdom of God, and we, your supplicants, glorify you:
Rejoice, you who always felt God’s presence;
Rejoice, you who showed perfect manliness;
Rejoice, you who overcame the impulses of nature through self-control;
Rejoice, you who were tested by God;
Rejoice, you who were forsaken by all, yet taken to the Father’s bosom;
Rejoice, you who always chose the good;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those welcomed to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 2
You were the grandson of Saint Patriarch Abraham, the eleventh son of Patriarch Jacob and the first son of Rachel, Saint Joseph, and your name means “Addition,” for your mother, after giving birth to you, prayed: “ The Lord will give me another son,” and so it was throughout your life: an addition of blessing, of trial, and of victory, for God chose you to glorify Him, and you were worthy of this: Alleluia!
Ikos 2
Your people lived in the land of Canaan, the land promised by God, and your father Jacob loved you more than his other eleven sons because you were the fruit of his old age, Holy Joseph, and he made you a beautiful, new coat, with which he clothed you in the presence of all the others, whose envy grew ever greater:
Rejoice, for God has endowed you with the gift of prophetic dreams;
Rejoice, for you dreamed of the sun and the moon and eleven stars;
Rejoice, for in the dream they bowed down to you;
Rejoice, for you told the dream to your father and brothers;
Rejoice, for your brothers hated you all the more;
Rejoice, for they said you thought yourself above them;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those welcomed to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 3
Your family were shepherds by trade, and you, Saint Joseph, would go out to pasture with your brothers, and when you returned home, you told your father of the improper behavior of his other sons; and once they left without you, and Jacob sent you: “Go and see if your brothers and the sheep are well, and bring me word!” Alleluia!
Ikos 3
When you reached them, you found yourself in the midst of a plot, for your brothers had already planned to kill you, but Reuben stopped them, saying: “Do not shed blood! Throw him into that well in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him!” And we honor you:
Rejoice, for they stripped you of your fine robe;
Rejoice, for they threw you into the empty well;
Rejoice, for they later pulled you out of there;
Rejoice, for they sold you to some Ishmaelite merchants;
Rejoice, for the price of your sale was twenty pieces of silver;
Rejoice, for your robe was soaked with the blood of a kid;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph the Most Beautiful, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those received at the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 4
Knowing that this was your coat, Jacob believed what your brothers had told him—that a wild beast had devoured you—and he mourned you for many days, Saint Joseph, and you began the journey of your life, for you were sold on to Egypt to Potiphar, an official and commander of the guard at Pharaoh’s court: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
But God was with you, Saint Joseph, and everything you touched turned into blessing and abundance, and thus you found favor with your master, who, pleased with your conduct and the wisdom with which you were endowed, made you overseer over his entire household and over all that he possessed—fields, livestock, and people:
Rejoice, for the Lord’s blessing descended upon the Egyptian’s house;
Rejoice, for all things multiplied and increased a hundredfold;
Rejoice, for you were handsome and fair of face and stature;
Rejoice, for the Egyptian’s wife tempted you, but you fled from her;
Rejoice, for she was left holding your garment in her hands;
Rejoice, for she used the garment to falsely accuse you;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful one, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those welcomed to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 5
Thus the master cast you into the dungeon where those who had offended the king were imprisoned, but the Lord was with you, Holy Joseph, and He poured out mercy upon you so that you quickly gained favor with the prison warden, and he placed the prison and all the prisoners in your hands; and whatever you did, the Lord multiplied in your hands: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
One day, they brought the chief cupbearer and the chief baker of Pharaoh into prison, and each of them had a dream, and you, Saint Joseph, interpreted their dreams exactly as they were, for just as you prophesied, the baker was hanged and the cupbearer was set free, and later Pharaoh himself summoned you, for he had dreamed something troubling and had no one to interpret it:
Rejoice, for you assured him that God would answer his questions;
Rejoice, for you told him that his dream signified the future;
Rejoice, for seven years of plenty would follow, then seven years of famine;
Rejoice, for you also told him what must be done so that the people would not perish;
Rejoice, for then Pharaoh gave you dominion over all Egypt;
Rejoice, for you became second in rank only to him;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful one, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those welcomed to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 6
They clothed you in a robe of fine linen and placed a golden chain around your neck, Holy Joseph, and Pharaoh’s ring was on your finger—a sign of the absolute power he had given you; and so you began the hard work of gathering one-fifth of the grain that had been harvested during the seven years of plenty, storing it in granaries: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
You demonstrated the mind of a true leader, setting aside in good times for times of trial, and this we ask you to teach us as well, Saint Joseph, to be prudent in times of plenty and to have the gift of discerning the times to come:
Rejoice, merchant who gathers the grain of good deeds;
Rejoice, skilled trader;
Rejoice, defender of self-restraint;
Rejoice, you who prevent waste;
Rejoice, you who teach us to spend in moderation;
Rejoice, you who give us wealth;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those welcomed to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 7
You labored solely for the glory of God and by strictly following His commandments, Holy Joseph, and through this you also served the common people, caring for them so that they might have food for the future, not just for the present, and through this you lifted the burden of worry about tomorrow from them: Alleluia!
Ikos 7
Those seven granaries of wealth were blessed by God, for He had poured out His mercy upon the ear of wheat, and never again were such harvests seen in Egypt, and you, Saint Joseph, married the daughter of a priest of Pharaoh and were also granted the gift of bearing two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim, and we praise you:
Rejoice, for then came the seven years of famine;
Rejoice, for throughout the land there was a shortage of food;
Rejoice, for only the land of Egypt was abundant in wheat;
Rejoice, for the granaries were full;
Rejoice, for you opened the storehouses and fed the people;
Rejoice, for people came from all countries to Egypt to buy bread from you;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful one, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those welcomed to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 8
Your brothers in the land of Canaan were also suffering from hunger, Saint Joseph, and your father Jacob sent them to Egypt to buy grain; and when they came to you, they did not recognize you, but they bowed down to the ground and asked you to sell them food as well, but you, O Saint, looked at them sternly and said to them: “You are spies, and you have come to probe the weak spots of the land!” Alleluia!
Ikos 8
You threw them all into prison and then released them only so that they might bring Benjamin, the youngest brother, and they went to Jacob, who wept because he had to give up his beloved son; and when you saw this brother of yours, born of the same mother, your heart was moved, and after testing them once more, you finally revealed who you were:
Rejoice, for you asked about your father;
Rejoice, for you told them that you are Joseph, the brother they sold;
Rejoice, for you gave them food and riches;
Rejoice, for you sent them to your father to tell him that you are alive;
Rejoice, for he rejoiced beyond measure;
Rejoice, for you called all the people of Jacob to Egypt;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those welcomed to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 9
Thus, you delivered your entire people from death, Holy Joseph, saving them from the great famine through the forgiveness of your heart, for only in this way could the one who was sold be reconciled with his seller, by forgiving him all and showing him mercy, so that the wonders of God might be known: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
You have proven yourself a pillar of all wisdom, Saint Joseph, having been tested in life so that your freedom might be made manifest, for the spiritual life is the work of God and the believer’s cooperation, and through you it has been shown that apart from freedom and its testing there is nothing good:
Rejoice, you who help us face all temptations;
Rejoice, you who give us the awareness of sin;
Rejoice, you who make the heart flee before the fall;
Rejoice, you who show us that God is ever-present;
Rejoice, you who grant us the sense of the Heavenly Father’s presence;
Rejoice, you who enlighten us with the grace of the deified;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful one, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those welcomed to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 10
You teach us, Holy Joseph, that God’s commandment is not a word of little significance but conceals God Himself within it, and the words of the commandments are coverings, that is, garments of the Word; therefore, through your life, you have set an example of embracing the Word with heart and mind, lest we embrace in a wrong way those things surrounding God: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
You became obedient to God’s will, Holy Joseph, embodying in prophecy His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, suffering like the Bridegroom of the Church, for you were pure like the Lord Who committed no sin nor was deceit found in His mouth, sold for a handful of silver, imprisoned, and stripped of the garment of the body, yet like the Savior you rose from the ashes of suffering, and we pray:
Rejoice, you who redeem us as well;
Rejoice, you who draw us out of the well of betrayal;
Rejoice, you who raise the pure voice of conscience;
Rejoice, you who bestow upon us the garment of grace of the worthy;
Rejoice, you who make us spiritual athletes;
Rejoice, for you give us the courage and boldness of the faithful;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful one, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those received to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 11
You had a mind enlightened by the Holy Spirit and a blameless soul, rising from a slave and prisoner to become the first in the kingdom of Egypt after Pharaoh, yet you wet your purple robe with tears of longing for your home and your father, showing love to those who betrayed you, just as our Lord Jesus later prayed from the cross for those who crucified Him, saying: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!”: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
But your father’s voice heard the good news: “Your son, Joseph, is alive,” just as Jesus later appeared Risen on the third day, and you brightened the eyes of your earthly father with the joy of a life well-lived:
Rejoice, honor of the family, model of virtue:
Rejoice, you who fed your people in times of famine;
Rejoice, example of earthly and heavenly service;
Rejoice, for in all your troubles you placed your hope only in God;
Rejoice, for the Infant Jesus later took refuge in your kingdom;
Rejoice, for the Father of Glory called His Son to return from Egypt;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful one, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those welcomed to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 12
Your father Jacob blessed you, Saint Joseph, then closed his eyes gazing upon your face, and you lived thereafter the same pious life, full of love for God, and having fallen asleep in the Lord, you are honored by our Church especially through our sweet hymns: Alleluia!
Ikos 12
Now you look upon us not from Egypt, but from the heavenly Jerusalem, and you see the fulfillment of the prophecies, for the shadow of the old Law has passed away and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, has come, the One sent by Jesus at Pentecost, and you remain for us the guiding light in the darkness of betrayal, the burning flame of prophecy, a mind fixed on divine wisdom, and a heart that burns unceasingly for God:
Rejoice, you who are blessed by the Father with countless gifts;
Rejoice, you who bring blessing upon the race of the faithful;
Rejoice, chosen one of God, adornment of the Righteous;
Rejoice, skilled merchant in the affairs of this fleeting life;
Rejoice, good guide in the affairs of eternal life;
Rejoice, you who preach the faith as a shield against evil;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful one, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those welcomed to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 13
O, glorious forefather of Christ the Lord, most blessed Saint Joseph! Receive our offering of thanksgiving and intercede for us sinners before the Most Holy Trinity, that we may be delivered from betrayal, imprisonment, persecution, dispersion, and sudden death, so that we may lead a life of repentance and piety, crying out to God the song of victory: Alleluia!
This Kontakion is sung three times.
Ikos 1
The Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus the Lord, embodies the beauty that surpasses all men, and gazing upon Him we feel a hunger for the spiritual feast, and you, Saint Joseph, followed Christ to the Golgotha that was to come, you who in the past reflected the future, and the Angels in Heaven rejoiced at the radiance of your conduct, worthy of a partaker of the eternal things in the Kingdom of God, and we, your supplicants, glorify you:
Rejoice, you who always felt God’s presence;
Rejoice, you who showed perfect manliness;
Rejoice, you who overcame the impulses of nature through self-control;
Rejoice, you who were tested by God;
Rejoice, you who were forsaken by all, yet taken to the Father’s bosom;
Rejoice, you who always chose the good;
Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those welcomed to the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
Kontakion 1
To him who, throughout his life, foreshadowed our Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Passion, and who resembled the Savior through his spiritual greatness and beauty that transcended the flesh, we offer hymns of praise to the Holy and Righteous Patriarch Joseph, and you, Holy and Blessed One, we pray, intercede with God for us who honor you: Rejoice, Holy Patriarch Joseph, most beautiful, deliver us from bondage and clothe us in the white robe of those received at the Supper of Christ the Bridegroom!
PRAYER to Saint Joseph the Patriarch:
O Holy and Righteous Joseph, please hear our plea, we who seek your merciful protection! Help us to keep the faith, to fulfill God’s commandments, to forgive those who wrong us, and to remain pure and loving, as the Lord desires.
You, who were tempted during your earthly life, having been betrayed, sold, and unjustly imprisoned, be our support, for we are weak and the hardships of the day press upon us. Call upon God, the Creator, to lift us up from all our weaknesses, sending us the Angels of light whom your father Jacob saw ascending and descending to earth, so that our lives, our homes, and all that belongs to us may be sanctified, and may our land be blessed with fruitfulness, that we may have the wisdom to plan for tomorrow, setting aside as much as is needed.
Pray for us together with our holy forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were pure and righteous before God, that we may walk the path of life safely, that we may be forgiven of all our sins, that our people may also be granted the necessities of life but especially eternal life, and that we may worship God forever, our Heavenly Father, now and forever and ever. Amen.
