Akathist to \nOur Father among the Saints\nRAPHAEL\nBishop of Brooklyn \n“Good Shepherd of the Lost Sheep in America”\n(November 8, 1860 - February 27, 1915)\nKontakion 1.\nO holy Father, called from thy native land to the distant shores of the New World, thou \ndidst take up thy cross and follow after Christ. Wherefore, as to one who hath crucified \nhimself on behalf of his flock, as to our faithful guardian and protector, we fervently cry:\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in America.\n \nOikos 1.\nThou didst begin thy life in exile, O holy Father Raphael. Child of pious Orthodox \nparents, successor to the holy hieromartyr Joseph, even in thy mother’s womb thou \ndidst enjoy no repose. Thus was thy life of travel mystically foretold. Thou wast chosen \nto bring the light of holy Orthodoxy to the scattered flock of Christ in the New World, who \ntogether with us honor thee in these words of praise:\nRejoice, thou who like thy Master wast born in a city not thine own;\nrejoice, recipient of the name of the great Archangel.\nRejoice, thou who didst say, “Man meant it to me for evil, but God \nfor good;”\nrejoice, thou who wast anointed with the blood of the martyrs.\nRejoice, thou who didst traverse the world in ministry to the faithful;\nrejoice, thou who didst lead all men to the worship of the Holy \nTrinity.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \nAmerica.\n \nKontakion 2.\nA fervent student, from thy youth thou didst dedicate thyself to acquiring knowledge of \nthe truth. Excelling in thy studies, thou didst not despair when thy father in his poverty \ncould no longer afford to send thee to school. But turning thyself to prayer and to the \nprotection of the holy Archangel, thou didst continually cry: Alleluia.\n \n\nOikos 2.\nHearing thy prayers and ardent sighs, God raised up for thee an earthly patron who \nsuccessfully interceded with the Patriarch to accept thee as a student. Wherefore, as to \none who in true humility wast exalted by the hand of God, we joyfully cry:\nRejoice, thou who in thy poverty didst learn true humility; \nrejoice, thou who in thy distress didst turn thyself to thy heavenly \nPatron. \nRejoice, thou who wast exalted to become a shepherd of Christ’s \nrational flock;\nrejoice, thou who having been exalted didst humble thyself to \nsearch for the lost sheep.\nRejoice, consoler of the afflicted;\nrejoice, defender of the downtrodden.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \nAmerica.\n \nKontakion 3.\nContinuing thine education, thy tender soul was nourished by the riches of patristic \ntheology. Plumbing the depths of Holy Scripture, thou wast instructed by the Holy Spirit. \nAnd thou didst show thyself to be a worthy proclaimer of the Holy Gospel, teaching all to \nsing: Alleluia.\n \nOikos 3.\nThe words of the Apostle who was baptized in the town of thy fathers resounded in thine \nears: “How shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? And how shall they \nhear without a preacher?” Thou couldst not forget thine own people, living in thy \nhomeland and scattered throughout the world, but didst raise thy voice, enlightening \nthem with the Light of Christian Truth. Taught by thy words and instructed by thine \nexample, the faithful thankfully celebrate thy memory and sing:\nRejoice, thou who didst excel in learning and didst thereby \nastonish the wise of this world;\nrejoice, thou who didst grieve over the ignorance of the people.\nRejoice, thou who with Orthodox doctrine didst instruct those \nseeking salvation;\nrejoice, thou who didst not disgrace this teaching by thy manner of \nlife.\nRejoice, thou who wast patient and gentle with the weak and \nsuffering;\nrejoice, thou who like thy Master wast firm with the obstinate.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \nAmerica.\n\n \nKontakion 4.\nNot content with thy knowledge of Scripture and the holy Fathers, thou didst continue \nthine education in the land of Russia. Like the Apostle Andrew, traveling to the ancient \ncity of Kiev, thou didst exclaim: Alleluia.\n \nOikos 4.\nReceiving the grace of the priesthood, thou wast appointed the head of the Antiochian \nmetochion in Moscow. Seeing in this the hand of God, thou didst accept this new \nposition as an opportunity to do good to others. Never thinking of thyself but always of \nthy people, thou didst bring many from Syria to Russia to be instructed in theology. \nWherefore, the faithful rejoiced and justly honoring thy labors, magnified thee thus:\nRejoice, thou who didst renounce all care for thyself;\nrejoice, thou who didst concern thyself only with the cares of \nothers.\nRejoice, for freely thou didst receive and freely thou didst give;\nrejoice, thou who didst beget many children for the Church of \nChrist.\nRejoice, protection of the poor;\nrejoice, ardent haven for widows and orphans in their affliction.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \nAmerica.\n \nKontakion 5.\nHearing of thy labors and love for thy people, the children of Antioch in America \npetitioned thee to come to the New World to pastor them in their place of immigration. \nThou didst receive their words as a divine invitation, knowing them to be scattered, \ndeprived of spiritual consolation. Journeying therefore from the East to the West, thou \ndidst pour thyself into the life-sustaining prayers of the Church, and through them, didst \nfind the guidance and inspiration to gather the lost sheep to which thou wast being sent, \never chanting; Alleluia.\n \nOikos 5.\nUpon thine arrival, thou didst devote thyself to the ministry thou hadst been given, \nestablishing a holy place in which to offer prayers on behalf of the people. Thou didst \nfurnish the entire chapel of thine own substance, offering it without cost to the faithful. \nTogether with them, remembering thy holy example, we glorify God for bringing thee to \nthis land and honor thee with these words:\n\nRejoice, for thy dedication equaled that of the Apostles;\nrejoice, for thy perserverance was a gift of the Holy Spirit.\nRejoice, thou who hast won the heights through humility;\nrejoice, thou who hast acquired riches through poverty.\nRejoice, thou who didst care for the helpless;\nrejoice, thou who didst distribute thine own funds to the poor.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \nAmerica.\n \nKontakion 6.\nLiving among the people, they became witnesses of how devoutly and justly and \nblamelessly thou didst act among them, exhorting, comforting and charging everyone as \na father does his own children. Truly, through thee the word of the Gospel came in \npower and in the Holy Spirit with much assurance, so that the faithful became followers \nof thee and of the Lord, chanting joyfully: Alleluia.\n \nOikos 6.\nNews of small communities of Orthodox Christians began to reach thee. Hearing their \ncall, “Come and help us,” thou didst decide to make the first of many missionary \njourneys. Traveling from the East Coast to the West, thou didst stay in no place for more \nthan four days. Finding Orthodox Christians, thou didst administer the holy Mysteries \nand preach the Word of God to the spiritually hungry. Receiving thee as if thou wert \nChrist Himself, the faithful welcomed thee with words such as these:\nRejoice, Bringer of new Life to many children through holy baptism;\nrejoice, Giver of the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit through \nanointing with Chrism.\nRejoice, Restorer of penitents to the holy Church through the \nmystery of Confession;\nrejoice, Uniter of spouses together in the Lord.\nRejoice, worthy Celebrant of the divine Liturgy;\nrejoice, fiery Proclaimer of pastoral theology.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \nAmerica.\n \nKontakion 7.\nHaving been spiritually formed by the Church’s cycle of prayers, thou didst prepare \nliturgical texts for use by thy people. Bringing them true consolation in the divine \nprayers, thou didst teach them to sing: Alleluia.\n\n \nOikos 7.\nSeeing the need of the scattered Orthodox people for true pastoral ministry, thou didst \ndevote thyself to finding priests to care for their souls. Bringing priests from the Old \nWorld to America and recommending faithful men for ordination, thou didst accept the \nspiritual welfare of thy people as thine only concern. Accept therefore from us such \npraises as these:\nRejoice, beacon of Orthodoxy;\nrejoice, golden trumpet of the Holy Spirit.\nRejoice, new Paul, who didst take upon thyself the burden of care \nfor the churches;\nrejoice, new John, who didst command all men to love one \nanother.\nRejoice, new Juvenal, who didst desire everywhere to preach the \nholy Gospel;\nrejoice, new Herman, who didst always care for the least of the \nbrethren.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \nAmerica.\n \nKontakion 8.\nWhen the holy hierarch and confessor Tikhon was sent to America, thou didst receive \nhim as the true shepherd of the flock of Orthodox Christians. Knowing that in Christ all \nare one, whether Arab, Greek or Russian, thou didst rejoice in God, chanting: Alleluia.\n \nOikos 8.\nAs a healer of souls and a peacemaker, whether in an established Temple, a storefront \nor a family’s living room, thou didst gather the people for prayer. Carrying on the \napostolic ministry of reconciliation, uniting brother to brother, healing wounds, thou didst \nestablish over them the banner of love. Wherefore, as to one who hast shown himself to \nbe a son of God, we joyfully chant to thee these praises:\nRejoice, thou who didst exhort the people of God not to receive His \ngrace in vain;\nrejoice, thou who didst in all things approve thyself as a minister of \nGod.\nRejoice, thou who didst live as unknown and yet well known;\nrejoice, thou who, though dying, didst live.\nRejoice, as sorrowful, always rejoicing;\nrejoice, as poor, thou didst make many rich.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \n\nAmerica.\n \n Kontakion 9.\nLoving God above all, and being sent to serve Him among the least brethren, like an \napostle thou didst offer prayers day and night for their salvation. Thou didst raise up a \nholy Temple for the Orthodox Arabs, dedicating it to Holy Nicholas, Wonder-worker of \nMyra in Lycia. Now together with him in heaven thou dost exclaim: Alleluia.\nOikos 9.\nIt is impossible for the worldly-minded to comprehend thy humility. For when thou wast \npresented with a pectoral cross in appreciation for thy manifold labors, thou didst object, \nsaying: “I am an unprofitable servant, having only done what was my duty. Can we \nservants of God and spiritual pastors expect anything in life except labor and grief?” In \namazement at thy self-abasement, with joy and wonder we cry to thee thus:\nRejoice, thou who wast filled only with love for God and all men;\nrejoice, thou whose eye was single.\nRejoice, thou who camest not to be served but to serve;\nrejoice, thou who didst give thy life as a ransom for many.\nRejoice, Angel of spiritual comfort for those in tribulation;\nrejoice, Model of spiritual meekness.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \nAmerica.\n \nKontakion 10.\nDesiring to save a multitude of people through thy care, the All-merciful Lord chose thee \nand appointed thee to bear much fruit. Laboring abundantly, thou didst travel from city to \ncity, from village to village, defending the Orthodox from the assaults of the enemy, \nteaching them to chant in Orthodox fashion: Alleluia.\n \nOikos 10.\nThe love of thy people for thee and thy love for them greatly impressed the holy hierarch \nTikhon. He saw in thee the image of a true shepherd—one who served not by \ncompulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; one who was not a lord but \na humble servant. Traveling to Russia, he forcefully entreated the Holy Synod to allow \nhim to consecrate thee as his Vicar Bishop. Bearing within thee the abundant grace of \nthe Holy Spirit, thou wast the first to be consecrated to the sacred episcopacy in the \nNew World. Wherefore, grateful to God, we the faithful chant with joy to thee:\nRejoice, O high priest of God Most High, who received divine \ngrace in abundance at thy consecration;\n\nrejoice, most luminous lamp, burning and shedding light.\nRejoice, thou who hast illumined the whole world with the rays of \nthy virtues;\nrejoice, thou who offered the divine Sacrifice at the throne of \nChrist.\nRejoice, hierarch adorned with the understanding of Orthodoxy;\nrejoice, thou who gavest drink to the faithful with the streams of the \ndoctrine of salvation.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \nAmerica.\n \nKontakion 11.\nConsecrated as a hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, with the blessing of the \nPatriarch and Holy Synod of Antioch, thy ministry extended to all Orthodox Christians. \nAs a self-proclaimed Syro-Arab by birth, Greek by education, American by residence, \nRussian at heart and Slav in soul, thou didst minister to all, teaching the Orthodox in the \nNew World to proclaim with one voice: Alleluia.\n \nOikos 11.\nThine archpastoral burden weighed upon thee; thine omophorion was very heavy. Thy \nflock was confused, surrounded by many false teachings. Possessing the spirit of \nunderstanding and of wisdom, thou didst enlighten the minds of the deceived, \nproclaiming the Word, preaching in season and out of season, by exhortation and letter. \nWe who are the recipients of thy counsel and the beneficiaries of thy wisdom cry out to \nthee thus:\nRejoice, thou who didst share the ministry of the Apostles;\nrejoice, thou who didst tend the flock according to the words of the \nApostle Peter.\nRejoice, steadfast uprooter of heresy;\nrejoice, impartial observer of the canons of the Church.\nRejoice, destroyer of impious doctrines;\nrejoice, skillful helmsman of the Church.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \nAmerica.\n \nKontakion 12.\nKnowing the grace of God which hath been given unto thee, O most glorious hierarch \nRaphael, we who are weak and heavy-laden with the burden of our sins flee to thee as \nour refuge and mighty defender. Pray fervently unto the Lord that He will preserve His \nHoly Church from unbelief and schism, from danger and temptation, that we may chant \n\nto God who through thee doeth good things for us: Alleluia.\n \nOikos 12.\nAs a faithful servant of thy Master, it was given to thee to suffer at the end of thine \nearthly life. Wherefore, as to a faithful servant who didst glorify Christ both in thy life and \nin thy death, to thee who hast received a glorious crown in heaven, we gather to offer \nthese unworthy words of praise:\nRejoice, thou who wast overshadowed with divine power;\nrejoice, thou who didst faultlessly preserve the True Faith.\nRejoice, thou who didst reveal thy righteousness in thy Repose;\nrejoice, thou who hast received eternal rest in heaven with the \nsaints.\nRejoice, great warrior of Orthodoxy;\nrejoice, invincible defender of piety.\nRejoice, O Father Raphael, good shepherd of the lost sheep in \nAmerica.\n \nKontakion 13.\nO most holy and most wonderful Father Raphael, look down from the heights of heaven \nupon thy flock and accept this our present offering. Entreat the Lord God that He will \npour out upon us His divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, that we, being delivered \nfrom all enemies visible and invisible, may forever chant to Him with thee and all the \nsaints: Alleluia.\nKontakion 13 is chanted thrice;\nwhereupon Oikos 1 and Kontakion 1 are repeated;\nthen follows the Prayer to St. Raphael.\n \n Prayer to St. Raphael.\nLet us pray to our holy Father Raphael.\nO holy hierarch Father Raphael, pray unto God for us.\n \n O wise and loving hierarch of the Church of Christ God, good shepherd of the lost \nsheep in America, sustenance for our souls, admonition for the lost, defense against \nfoes, uniter of the Orthodox world, proclaimer of the truth, uplifter of the oppressed, \nguardian of the faith, father to orphans, protector of widows, friend of the poor, reconciler \nof foes, great light from Antioch, new Moses who didst lead thy people out of the \nwilderness into the Promised Land, new Elias who hast placed within the holy Church a \ndouble portion of thy spirit, new Ezra who didst build up the Temple of God, new Apostle \nof Christ our God, lover of the holy prayers and divine services, adornment of the holy \n\nChurch, seeker of the lost, joy of all the Orthodox, son of Antioch, boast of America, O \nholy Father Raphael: Mercifully hearken unto these supplications which are offered unto \nthee by thy grateful children. O high priest of the Most High God, lift up thy hands and \nbless us, O thou who art thrice-blessed of the All-holy Trinity. O comforter of the \noppressed who art a bearer of the heavenly King, the Comforter and Spirit of Truth, take \nus to thy bosom and shelter us from all harm. O shepherd who art a servant of the Lamb \nand a sheep of His flock, take up thy staff and guide us to secure and verdant pastures. \nO father who art a son and heir of the Unoriginate Father, lift up thine arms and \nintercede with him that the Church may be preserved in tranquility; that her God-\nappointed hierarchs may be granted peace, safety, honor, health and length of days, \nrightly dividing the word of truth; that her priests may be clothed with righteousness; that \nher God-fearing monastics may shine forth as paradisaical lights upon the world; and \nthat her Christ-loving people may be granted mercy, life, peace, health, salvation and \nvisitation, pardon and forgiveness of sins. Beseech thou him that we may be granted to \nlive a peaceful life in this age, and to see the good things in the age which is to come, \nalways glorifying the unoriginate Father, the only-begotten Son and the all-holy and \ngood and life-giving Spirit, the consubtantial Trinity, unto ages of ages. Amen.