Canon to Holy Martyr Nectan of Hartland

St Nectan (+6th century) was the eldest of St. Brychan of Brycheiniog's twenty four children. Whilst still a young man he was inspired to imitate the example of St. Anthony the Great and the other great ascetics. To that end he and several companions left Wales by boat landing on the northern coast of Devonshire at Hartland. One day St. Nectan found a stray pig, and returned it to its owner. In gratitude the owner gave St. Nectan two cows, which were soon stolen from him. He found the robbers and attempted to teach them about Christ, however this enraged the robbers and one of them beheaded St. Nectan. The saint then picked up his head and carried it about one kilometre back to his cell and laid it down near a spring. Seeing this caused the robber who cut St. Nectan's head off to go mad, but the other robber buried the saint. There is a tradition that foxgloves grew wherever the saint’s blood fell to the ground. Since then the site of his tomb has been a place of many miracles.

St Nectan's feast day is on the 30th June (17th of June in the Church calendar). Below is a canon dedicated to the Saint, which can be downloaded and printed or read online. It's suitable to be read when no priest is present and at any time.

Canon to Martyr Nectan of Hartland.pdf

Download PDF • 315KB

Canon of the saint with 4 troparia, the acrostic whereof is "England drinketh the nectar of Nectan" in Tone II

Holy Martyr Nectan of Hartland

Ode I

Irmos: Let us sing unto the Lord a new song; for—awesome wonder!—the Virgin hath given birth to God incarnate, and remained a virgin even after giving birth.

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

England is in debt to Wales, for the blessed Nectan left his homeland and sailed to the coast of Devon, to a place where he could sing unto the Lord a new song.

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

Nectan rejoiced to serve in humility and chastity Him Who became incarnate through the Virgin's womb; and, slain, he hath wrought awesome wonders.

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

God, Who preserved the Maiden's womb untouched by corruption also kept the sacred relics of His favored one untouched by decay. O the awesome wonder!

Both now, and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Let us sing unto the Virgin the words of the herald angel: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, to Whom thou gavest birth.

Ode III

Irmos: Establish me, O Lord my God, that mine enemy may not boast concerning me; for Thou, O Lord, art my confirmation, my refuge and power. 

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

Almighty Lord our God, by Thy power establish us on the rock of confession through the intercessions of thy venerable martyr Nectan.

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

Now hath Nectan joined the holy Forerunner in heaven, for they both urged evildoers to forsake wickedness and cleave unto the ways of God.

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

Do not boast in aught save the power of the Lord our God, Who hath given us the venerable martyr Nectan as a refuge and confirmation.

Both now, and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Deliver us from the evil machinations of the ancient foe of our race, O Mother of God, for thee do we have as a sure refuge and confirmation.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Sessional hymn: The pious gift of cattle was pleasing to the venerable one, for it arose from great love of God and neighbor; but their theft was a grief unto him, for it showed contempt for the commandments of God. Wherefore, rebuking the robber, he was slain for righteousness' sake. Let us offer him great praise!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion:  While becoming man in thy womb, the one Lord remained God, unseparated from the divine nature, preserving thee, the Virgin Mother, most immaculate after giving birth, as thou wast before thy birthgiving. Him do thou earnestly beseech, that He grant us great mercy.

or Stavrotheotokion (on Wednesdays and Fridays): 

The undefiled ewe-lamb of the Word, the incorrupt Virgin Mother, beholding suspended upon the Cross Him Who sprang forth from her without pain, lamenting maternally cried out: "Woe is me, O my Child! How is it that Thou dost suffer willingly, desiring to deliver man from the disgrace of the passions?"

Ode IV

Irmos: He whom Thou didst call “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” heard Thy voice as Thou didst thunder over many waters, bearing witness to Thy Son. And, wholly filled with the Spirit, which had come, he cried out: Thou art Christ, the Wisdom and Power of God!

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

Retiring from the sinful world, the venerable Nectan heeded the call of the Spirit of God and withdrew into the fastness of Devon, where he labored in prayer and fasting, imitating John the Baptist, the herald and Forerunner of the coming of Christ, the incarnate Word of God

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

Inspired by the Spirit Who is full of power, the holy Nectan hearkened to the still, small voice of God, which bade him take ship from Wales whithersoever the will of God would carry him; and he landed, rejoicing, on the coast of Devon, where he found a true refuge.

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

Nectan set his hand to the spiritual plough, and did not look back at the life of ease at his father's royal court; wherefore, Christ, the Master of the fields, bestowed rich and abundant recompense upon him, as a good and faithful servant who labored zealously to the end.

Both now, and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Knowing thee to be she who, alone among women, did, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, conceive in her pure womb Christ, the Wisdom and Power of God, we magnify thee with hymns of praise, O all-immaculate Theotokos, thereby bearing witness to thy Son and God.

Ode V

Irmos:  O Lord, Bestower of light and Creator of the ages: guide us in the light of Thy commandments, for we know none other God than Thee.

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

Even now thy blessed life doth shine upon us like a beacon of light, O Nectan, guiding Christians to the safe haven of the divine statutes.

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

The deifying light of Christ filled His saint with a radiance which leadeth us to the splendid habitations of the Lord, the Bestower of light.

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

Having served well the Master Creator of all, and a laid down his life for His sake, the venerable one now dwelleth with His saints on high.

Both now, and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Thou, O Mistress, didst bear in thy womb thine own Creator! O the unspeakable paradox! After God we have no other help save thee! 

Ode VI

Irmos:  Prefiguring Thy burial, Cross and suffering, Jonah spent three days in the belly of the sea monster, O Savior, and cried out from within it: Let my life issue forth, and my prayer come to Thy divine temple, O Lord of mercy!

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

Having lain in the ground for many years, by the will of God thou didst appear to a pious priest, instructing that thy sacred relics be removed from the earth and enshrined with reverence in the holy temple of God, O saint.

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

Even when informed by the devout priest of his vision, the bishop was filled with doubt and declined to take part in the uncovering of the precious relics. But when they were found to be intact, he was filled with remorse.

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

Nectan's shrine was like a fount, gushing forth miraculous cures for all who came to it with faith; and though the impious king and his henchmen razed it and destroyed the holy relics, grace still poureth forth from the saint.

Both now, and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Ever untouched by corruption, the Savior lay bodily for three days in the tomb, whence He arose from the dead; and thy body, O Virgin, lay in the tomb until taken up from earth to heaven by thy Son, the Lord of mercy.

Kontakion (Tone I): God, Who is wondrous in all His saints, hath set Nectan as a lamp to enlighten us all; and he, resplendent with the radiance of grace, doth illumine us who have recourse unto his intercession. Thus do we offer up entreaty, crying aloud: Through the prayers of Thy venerable martyr, O Savior, save us who are perishing!

Ikos: Though the tempest of life's trials and billows of tribulations constantly assail us, yet doth Nectan stand above their tumult and fray, shining like a beacon of saving light, guiding us by his example toward the calm haven of salvation. Wherefore, the Orthodox honor him now with hymns and spiritual songs, praising his ascetic feats and chanting unto God: Through the prayers of Thy venerable martyr, O Savior, save us who are perishing!

Ode VII

Irmos: The command of the iniquitous tyrant, opposed to God, raised up a lofty flame; but Christ, Who is blessed and all-glorious, spread a spiritual dew upon the pious youths.

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

Christ, Who hath vanquished tyrannical death, hath raised up the blessed and glorious Nectan, His faithful and obedient servant, in whom He is exceeding well pleased.

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

The supplications of the venerable Nectan are like a spiritual dew, spreading coolness upon our hearts, which are consumed by the fire of the passions of the flesh.

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

At the mediation of the holy martyr, Christ, the blessed and all-glorious Judge, doth deign to deal with us sinners not as we merit, but according to His surpassing mercy.

Both now, and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Raised above all men, who are sunk in sin and iniquity, by the King of heaven, thou spreadest the dew of grace over us who bless and glorify thee, O pure Bride of God.

Ode VIII

Irmos: The bodies of the pious youths, clad in the same purity as their souls, quivered with awe, and the irresistible fire, though fed with boundless fuel, recoiled; but as the ever-living flame faded away, an everlasting hymn was chanted: O all ye works of the Lord, hymn ye the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

O the unspeakable wickedness of the vile murderer! For to still the golden tongue of him who rebuked him for his evil deed, he slew the saint of God without pity; and, mindless himself, he severed the godly head of his pure and blameless victim, thereby laying up for himself irresistible fire in the life which is to come.

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

For ages the stones which lie nigh to the well of the martyr have borne the color of his innocent blood, like as the floor of the temple of old was reddened by the blood of the holy Zachariah; for they were stained therewith when he was cruelly slain for Christ the Lord, Who is hymned and exalted supremely for all the ages.

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

Never have the pure waters of the well of the martyr ceased to flow, ever slaking the bodily thirst of those who drink thereof, and likewise quenching the spiritual thirst of those who with faith have recourse to the saint's intercession before the All-holy Trinity, Whom he hymned and exalted supremely for all the ages.

Both now, and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Ewe-lamb, all-immaculate and ever-unblemished, art thou, O Theotokos, and the flame of lust and the fire of sin fell back in awe before thy purity, not daring to touch the Mother of the Creator of all. Wherefore, we chant in jubilation: O all ye works of the Lord, hymn ye the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Ode IX

Irmos: Thou art all desire, all sweetness, O Word of God, Son of the Virgin, God of gods, all-holy Lord of the saints. Wherefore, we magnify Thee and her who gave Thee birth.

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

Commemorating the holy Nectan with the most holy Theotokos and all the saints, we give thanks to the Lord of all the saints, that He hath given us such mighty advocates.

Holy Martyr Nectan, pray to God for us.

The divine Word of God, the Son of the Father, gave boldness unto Nectan, who spake words of peace and love to the malefactor and was slain for his virtuous speech.

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

All the Orthodox bless the martyred hermit Nectan and exult in his godly witness; and we also worship the Son of the Virgin, Whom he worshiped in spirit and in truth.

Both now, and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Now let us magnify the Virgin Mary, the Queen of heaven, the Mother of the Word, the King of Kings and Lord of lords, for she is our helper and intercessor.

Troparion (Tone III): As from a blossom of surpassing beauty let us drink the nectar of grace, which floweth from the holy life of the venerable martyr Nectan; for the fragrance of his virtues doth ever perfume all of the land, and filleth the Church of Christ with the sweet savor of his glorious witness.