Canon To St Wandregesilius

 Profound thanks to Fr Deacon Andrew Bond for kindly allowing me to reproduce his work on this site, and to my dear Daughter for typing the Canon so quickly and efficiently :-)

May St Wandregesilius,  who is venerated at the Joy of All Who Sorrow Parish at Mettingham, Suffolk, pray for us all.

CANON IN HONOUR OF SAINT WANDREGESILIUS

Ode 1

Irmos

When Israel walked on foot, in the sea as on dry land, on seeing their pursuer Pharaoh drowned, they cried: Let us sing to God a song of victory.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

Though our faith may be lacking in strength and our dedication to Christ of uncertain vigour, with boldness we raise our voices in thy praise on this thy day, praying for grace to emulate the strength of thy virtue, O venerable father.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

As a true disciple, thy life was a hymn to Christ our God, since thou didst take to heart His Gospel command to follow Him and unwaveringly walk in the apostolic footsteps, teaching all to see heavenly treasure as the summit of their strivings.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Whilst carrying out thy duties in exemplary fashion, venerable father, the worldly privilege and temporal authority that were thy birthright held no attraction for thee, since the flame of faith burned brightly in thy soul, giving thee a longing for thy celestial homeland.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages,

Theotokion:

O pure Theotokos, adorned with virtue thou hast conceived Virtue Himself, our True God Who hast illumined us with divine virtues.

Katavasia

Ode 3

Irmos

There is none holy as Thou, O Lord my God, Who hast exalted the power of Thy faithful, O Good One, and strengthened us on the rock of Thy confession.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

The will of thy parents and courtly convention obliged thee to marry, O father, but in this thou didst show the depth of thy humility and aptitude for monastic obedience in subjugating thine own will to that of thy superiors.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

By the Providence of God, thine own dear wife revealed that she too thirsted for the cloistered life, and together you resolved to dedicate your lives to the service of Him who created all things both in Heaven and on earth.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Joyfully thou didst embrace the purity of the angelic life of prayerful vigils and ascetic podvig, never sparing thyself, but seeking only to glorify the Lord and win souls for Him through faith in the Unity and Trinity of the one true God.

Both now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Theotokion:

The Wisdom and Word of the Father, Who existed before ages, in these latter days ineffably became incarnate of thee spotless one, making thee the Mother of God.

Katavasia

Ode 4

Irmos:

Christ is my power, my God and my Lord, the holy Church divinely sings, crying with a pure mind, keeping festival in the Lord.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

Signs and wonders accompanied thy life, O Father, because God was with thee even from thy youth, by bringing to amity, by the power of prayer, uncultured ruffians who feared neither man nor God and would willingly have shed blood to settle their quarrel.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

Being of striking appearance, elegant and well schooled in the ways and manners of this world, thou wast nonetheless fervent in thy desire to renounce all and embark upon the way of godly poverty through submission to the disciplines of monastic tonsure.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

This decision enraged the lord of darkness who sought ever more devious means to unsettle thee, O great father, but thou wast protected by the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation against these devilish assaults.

Both now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Theotokion:

O Virgin, we bless thee as the door to the Divinity, as the divine Paradise, as the spiritual holy of holies, as the beauty of Jacob.

Katavasia

Ode 5

Irmos:

O Good One, illumine with Thy divine Light, I pray, the souls of those who rise early to pray to Thee, that they may know Thee, O Word of God, as the true God Who recalls us from the darkness of sin.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

At first the authorities of this world did not endorse thy chosen path, O father, and demanded thy presence. Stopping to aid a poor man whose cart was stuck fast in mud, caused thee to arrive at court ridiculed by onlookers for the bespattered state of thine attire.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

Having accepted the insults offered to thee, and following Christ the Incarnate Word who suffered worse, thy humility was rewarded by the appearance of an angel who miraculously cleansed the mud from thy garments as a testimony to thy faith and purity.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

The king’s attitude was transformed from annoyance to reverence when he saw that thou wast truly a man of God, straightaway releasing thee, O venerable one, from all worldly responsibilities, and freeing thee to devote thyself entirely to the ascetic life.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Theotokion:

O all-pure one, we praise Him Who took passionate and mortal flesh from thee and Who was incarnate in the co-mingled but unmixed Hypostasis.

Katavasia

Ode 6

Irmos:

Beholding the sea of life surging with the flood of temptations, I run to Thy calm haven and cry to Thee: raise me up from corruption, O most Merciful One.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

Divesting thyself of personal wealth, with zeal for thy chosen way, thou didst establish a monastic skete in the severe spirit of the fathers in the Egyptian desert, causing the demons to rage against thee in their fury.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

Putting on the armour of faith, thou didst cry with the words of the Psalmist, “God come to my aid, Lord be swift to help me” and, battling against the spirits of wickedness, didst stand in the freezing cold water of the river for hours at thy devotions.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

God, in His infinite wisdom, revealed His plan for thee in a dream, transporting thee to Lombardy, and showing thee the foundation of that great beacon of ascetic discipline and piety our Father Columban, the holy monastery at Bobbio.

Both now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Theotokion:

The Holy Spirit, the Preserver of virginity, overshadowed thee, O pure and blessed one, and made thee into a holy and spotless dwelling for the Son of the Most High.

Katavasia

Kontakion (Tone 3)

At thine ascent to thy heavenly home, the glorious realms of Paradise, O venerable Father Wandregesilius, the nine ranks of angels rejoiced to receive an earthly angel, and raised their voices in praise to God singing: Alleluia.

Ikos:

O glorious, venerable and all praised Wandregesilius, with heart and mind we implore our Heavenly Father for grace to hymn thee worthily for thy tireless striving to bring souls to salvation.  For thou didst dedicate thy life to the True Faith, by prayer and preaching, fasting and abstinence, by purity of life and constancy of purpose, instructing and inspiring by thine example not only thy companions in life but succeeding generations who have come to know, love and follow thee.

Ode 7

Irmos:

An angel made the furnace throw dew on the Holy Children. But the command of God consumed the Chaldeans and prevailed upon the tyrant to cry: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

Awakening with thy soul enlightened by the flame of faith, but wondering to what thou wast being called, thou didst follow the spiritual signposts set out by God in thy tireless efforts to achieve the grace of the angelic life.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

The strictness of order, the severity of discipline and the oneness of mind of Bobbio’s Irish monks touched thy soul deeply, O our father, and raised in thee the desire to travel to their homeland, in search of greater seclusion offered by the green desert that was Erin’s spiritual treasure-house.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

The Lord allowed thee to set out on thy journey but, in His mercy, He showed thee a sign that this was self-will and not His will, for when thou didst come to the monastery Romainmotier, He opened the eyes of thy soul to see the purity and austerity of that community.

Both now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Theotokion:

I fly to thy shelter, O all-spotless one, and magnify thee who ineffably bore God the Word, Whom we extol throughout all ages.

Katavasia

Ode 8

Irmos:

Thou didst make flame sprinkle the saints with dew, and Thou didst burn the sacrifice of a righteous man with water. For Thou alone, O Christ, dost do all that Thou willest. Thee we extol throughout the ages.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

Having spent a full decade in the seclusion of the cloister by the Jura, God’s further plan was revealed to thee through the elevation to Rouen’s Episcopal dignity of the saintly Ouen, who called thee to serve the Church in the sacred diaconate, despite the protests of thy humility.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

Reluctantly, and having frequently protested thine unworthiness, thou didst receive priestly ordination at the hands of the monastic father and saintly bishop Omer. Thereupon thou wast guided by God to the Jumieges forest and settled by a spring called La Fontenelle.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

The monastery was built with spiritual stones, that is with holy souls and, to the glory of God, became a sentinel of the Faith, a spearhead of evangelism, a powerhouse of learning, a beacon of piety and a glorious adornment of the Church.

Both now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Theotokion:

We sing thy praises, most Holy Theotokos, for thou dost shelter us all in thy maternal embrace, receiving our petitions, hearing our sighs, and bringing us comfort in times of distress.

Katavasia

Ode 9

Irmos:

It is impossible for men to see God, upon Whom even the orders of angels dare not gaze, but through thee, O all-pure one, didst the Word incarnate appear to men, and with the Heavenly Hosts we magnify Him and call thee blessed.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

Following the example of thy mentor, our great Father Columban, the Rule at Fontenelle followed the model of strictness established by the Irish ascetics, accepting nothing for the support of the community that was not produced by the labour of their own hands.

Holy Father Wandregesilius, pray to God for us.

Thy life, O beloved father, was a model of meekness, humility and dedication that humbled proud hearts, softened harsh characters, strengthened those whose faith was weak, inspired the faithful, and brought many into the treasury of Christ’s saving grace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Praying to Christ our God, that we too may be faithful to the end, we glorify thee, great Father Wandregesilius, singing in praise of thee and ever seeking to follow thine example, and walking in the way of the Gospel of Truth for the salvation of our souls.

Both now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Theotokion:

As thou didst give birth to Christ the ineffable Joy, O most pure one, enable all who venerate thee as Mother of God with heartfelt love, to be partakers of heavenly bliss in the realms of the blessed.

Katavasia